


Transmission, Intermission - [Old Version! Read Latest Update for More Info!]

by james_trmtx



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Romantic Comedy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Anxiety, Canon-Typical Violence, Chubby Reader, Depression, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Female Reader, Flirty Sans (Undertale), M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mom Reader, Motherhood, Mystery, Nonbinary Frisk (Undertale), Possible Character Death, Post-Divorce, Prejudice Against Monsters (Undertale), Reader is Frisk's Mom - Freeform, References to Depression, Sans makes 'your mom' jokes, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Selectively Mute Frisk (Undertale), Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Thriller, Undertale Monsters on the Surface
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:15:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 76,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23899591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/james_trmtx/pseuds/james_trmtx
Summary: Respect is given, redemption is earned, and forgiveness is an ultimately rare gift.So what are you supposed to do when Frisk returns to the Surface and comes up to you with a whole new race known to have sacrificed six human souls prior to their arrival, and sought after them, too?It's bad enough when most of those monsters want to form friendships with you, but worse yet when one of them in particular starts to flirt with you.Between a robot once solely programmed to bring harm, a royal scientist known to have experimented on her own kind, and two brothers assigned to capture any human who crossed their path, you find it hard seeing past their old selves and picturing the kind and generous monsters Frisk described to you when returning from the Underground.Arc List:Arc #1 - Once Upon a Time - Chapters 1 to 10.5  (✓ - complete)Arc #2 - Enemy Approaching - Chapters 11 to 20.5  (✓ - complete)Arc #3 - Pathetic House - Chapters 21 to 30.5  (× - current)Arc #4 - Spear of Justice - Chapters 31 to 40.5Arc #5 - Here We Are - Chapters 41 to 50.5Arc #5.5/Final Arc - Good Night - Chapters 51 to 55
Relationships: Sans (Undertale) & Reader, Sans (Undertale)/Reader
Comments: 109
Kudos: 182





	1. 1 - Oh no, it's Karen

[BGM](https://youtu.be/oCFbwREW4Uw)

The wind's strong enough to topple anyone over, yet you stand your ground, eager to set things straight with the monsters. A skeleton stands before you, the look in his irises far more revealing of knowledge and insight compared to his easygoing demeanour or the goofy contrast his grin gives off. He knows what you're here for, either due to the stern look persisting on your face, or seeing that you're demanding an explanation from him. You're impatient, barely giving him an opportunity to greet you properly, and even less wait until you both made your way out of the mountains. "If you're meant to be a figure of justice and judgment for the Underground, then how could you still allow Frisk to go off on a journey like this one?" you ask, crossing your arms tight. "I refuse to let you and your kind continue being a part of Frisk's life, unless I start getting some explanations from you and everyone else about this."

The skeleton rubs the back of his skull. He faces the ground for a moment, replying with, "I'd gladly answer all your questions, lady. But first, we should get outta here." He meets with your gaze, reluctance present in his own. Either you've intimidated him with your fury, or he's against explaining what happened at the Underground while your child adventured it. "The top of a mountain ain't really the best place for us to talk. We can discuss this better somewhere else."

Giving in, you uncross your arms and place your hands on your hips. You're not quite in favor of being anywhere else with the monster, though you don't want to decline an opportunity for getting to understand the situation a little more thoroughly. "As long as it's somewhere busy, then sure," you say, lips frowning and pouted. "I don't trust you enough to be anywhere alone together with you."

He chuckles and stuffs his hands in his pockets, posture far too relaxed for the situation he's in. "That's understandable, lady. Though I'm afraid the Underground's a lil' empty right now. Everyone's out there enjoyin' the outdoors, but I can give you a quick tour of the place while I explain everything." He offers out a hand out to you, one you reject by crossing your arms again.

"Alright," you say, huffing. It's difficult deciding whether to trust his intentions or not, that alone obliging you to take awhile to say anything else. "Where to? I'd like to see the places Frisk went through while I wasn't around for them." A pang hits your chest when you say that, mind and heart both equally guilting themselves over having let Frisk slip away from your watch. They could've been killed during their journey Underground, and you would've been to blame. Not only did your child lack in having an attentive father, yet they also had you: an irresponsible mother; all according to your own judgement, at least. "I failed them as their mother by letting them run this far," you add, biting back a frown. "So now I need to keep a more careful watch over them. And that includes understanding what all this means and what your kind did to them, even if things turned out okay in the end."

"So you're sayin' this's all your fault? 'Cuz from what the kid told me about you, I honestly doubt it," the monster says, his grin widening. "Where's the other parent? Whoever they are, they should be equally responsible with what happened here."

"That's…" You look away, question hitting at a weak spot. "That's... something I can't answer right now." Your words are sharp, allowing no space for him to nudge at a more sincere reply. Regardless of who the skeleton was and why he needed to know that, you weren't about to tell him that your (now ex) husband wasn't with you anymore. "We should get going."

Despite not giving him an answer, he doesn't push further. You follow him when he starts walking, waiting and already bracing yourself for him to comment on you dodging over his question as bluntly as you had. "Fan of the hot or the cold?" he asks, defying your expectations. "Askin' so I can start the tour from there. If it's hot, we've got Hotland, and if it's cold, I'd be taking you to my hometown first."

You consider his question as you both make way through the broken Barrier. You're pulled in over the thought of getting to know where the monster lived at, yet you're just as attracted by the idea of visiting a place with a name as direct as Hotland. "I…"

You think his question through, though by the time you're ready to reply, he adds, "Or we can start off with the Ruins. We've just gotta take a boat and pass by Snowdin. It's the first place Frisk ended up in, so I'd be givin' you the tour in that order."

Too indecisive to settle on either of the first two options, you nod, accepting his latest suggestion. "The names speak for themselves, I'm guessing?"

He nods back, a chuckle being heard from him. It's hard to see his face with how bright the path is, but you try your best to keep up with his stride, one a bit too fast for someone as short and big-boned as he seems. "And they're all just as creative." His hands leave his pockets and reach out for your arms when you stumble, the overwhelming brightness of the Barrier conflicting with your steps. "Hold on if ya don't wanna trip. We've gotta take the boat not long after this, so just be careful and follow my lead if ya wanna navigate this place a lil' bit easier."

Though you'd rather not be walking so close to the skeleton and even less allowing yourself to find any support in him, one more subtle trip over your own feet makes you maintain your grip on him. Biting back your pride for a second, you lock arms with him and allow him to lead you further in. "Thank you," you mutter, against being impolite. Being angry at the monsters was one thing, but being outright rude to them wasn't in your plans.

You can hear him snicker, the words that follow poking at your tolerance, already low. Patience grows thin, giving a path for irritability to pass through. "Gettin' along with me already, lady?" He's way too laid-back for your taste, and it's hard to imagine him being the one responsible for judging people based on their actions. 

"Barely." You try facing him, though it's hard to have a clear view of his skull, light still obstructing your vision. "I'm simply thankful for your help so far."

* * *

A ghostly warmth stays on your fingertips, fading when you pull your hand back. Your skin glows, the near translucent waters serving as lighting for the natural darkness of your surroundings, ethereally beautiful with the addition of the echo flowers laid around, glowing just as much as the water. Of all the places you'd been given a tour of since arriving at the Underground, Waterfall was by far the most breathtaking of them all.

"So this is where Frisk traveled off to? Did they… Did they really go through these dangerous places all on their own?" You turn around and look up from your sitting position, glaring at the skeleton when he doesn't respond. "I believe I'm speaking to _you_ , sir." You pause, finding authority in your voice again. "You were a sentry for the Underground, weren't you? Doesn't that mean you could've most likely hurt anyone who passed by, regardless of who they were? Why did you choose not to hurt them, if that's the case?"

"I used to be one, yeah," he says, blunt. "But I made a promise _not_ to do that not long after I was assigned to that job. Not that I even favor killing innocent people to begin with, but that was the job assigned to me by the former king."

"And couldn't you just have said no?" You only manage to become angrier with the skeleton, furious to know of the hypocrisy hidden behind it all.

Monsters were said to be merciful and kind, yet the first rumor you unmask as true is that of Asgore having ordered to _kill_ seven humans for their souls?

"You're nothing but a hypocrite!" Furious, you stand up and peer down at him, his shorter height helping you maintain authority from within. "My child talks all about how kind, nice, and friendly you monsters supposedly are, but in the end, you've spilled just as much as blood as any other human being." Your voice breaks, the thought of Frisk passing away in the hands of a monster sending further ire down your body. "Frisk could've _died_ in the hands of people like you, so I have no right to listen how you deserve seeing them again, let alone a goat lady who claims she sees them as her child instead of mine! I refuse to let Frisk see any of your kind again."

"And then that's it? So even those who haven't done anythin' bad get repercussions for it?" The patience in the monster's tone snaps, though his expression remains the same, chill and waiting for you to gain some calm yourself. "Humans've done harm more than we ever have. Asgore did that so we could be set free."

"And you think that makes you guys doing it justifiable? Maybe six deaths seems trifling over your freedom, but did you consider those people before ending their lives?" You're quite frankly pissed now, incapable over, and unwilling of, hearing him speak without wanting to snap at him with every response he gives you. "Did they willingly sacrifice themselves for your kinds' freedom, or did Frisk have to fall down here and make your thick-skulled brain understand _none_ of this was ever okay?"

The monster tries to reach a hand out for you, yet you avoid him, only realizing why he does that when you trip, hitting the edge of the river. He grabs your arm to make up for it, though you prove to be too heavy for him, sending you both to the water, a loud splash accompanying your fall. The strangeness of not feeling wet prompts you to find will to open your eyes, these having instinctively closed the second you tripped. Limbs left uncovered sting with the strength of the fall rather than over water splashing you, that observation finally making you open your eyes and look around to see a thin veil of blue magic keeping you from falling into the water. "I get that, as a parent, you're overreacting right now, but I'll stand by what Frisk said about you and believe you're a patient person underneath all that you're pullin' off on me."

"All that _what?"_ you snap, a glare returning to your face. "And you think I'm overreacting about it? Didn't you hear what I said?"

"I know that, and I know my kind's gonna pay for the damage they caused to other people." You try not to wiggle out of the skeleton's hold with how fragile his magic seems, forced to look up at him as he towers over you. His hands are kept suspending the veil, preventing the two of you from falling into the water. "If this makes ya feel any better, I'll let you in on a weakness I've got." He sits up and takes your arm again, trying to sit you down with him. You resist, waiting until he stands up and walks back to firm land for you to do the same. "My magic relies on Karma, meaning I couldn't possibly do you nor your kid any damage, if I even tried." Sounding tired, you can't decipher much over his change of tone. He has his back turned to you now, hands slipping into his pockets and magic veil disappearing just as you make it back to stable ground. "If nobody does any damage, then nobody gets hurt. Simple as that. Your kid didn't hurt a fly goin' through the Underground, so even if I would've attempted to hurt them in any way, it wouldn't've had any effect."

You find it hard to believe him, yet follow along for the moment, eager to see where this would lead on to. "So that means it doesn't work the same for all monsters?" You pause, considering his words and the abilities his younger brother had shown when play-fighting with Frisk. Clearly, he was capable of attacking no matter what the circumstances were, but then what about _him?_ What made _Sans_ the exception? "What are you supposed to be, then?"

"That's a bit of a rude question, don't ya think?" He turns back to you, an amused glint present in his gaze and grin. "No offense, lady, but I'm tryna be patient with ya here, and you're makin' it hard by being so stubborn." He chuckles, winking at you. "Though I guess that makes sense, considering how determined Frisk is. Like mother, like child, huh?" His gaze lingers on you, another comment leaving him, "I told ya to liven up a little in the Ruins, cool off at Snowdin, and then I tried to get ya to water down here. But clearly, we'll have to wait 'til we get to Hotland with how smokin' n' fiery you are."

"...Did you just wink at me?" You tense up, the lilt you catch in his words worsening your assumptions over that action. Of course, with Frisk insisting you met some of their monster friends, you'd seen Sans do that countless times before, regardless of family, friend, or date, but his current tone and the subtle, upward curve to his grin makes it feel as if he's far from being friendly about it. "Are you _hitting on_ me?"

Finally, for what once seemed like a skeleton too laid-back for his own good, he shows shock through the tense of a smile and the flicker of his irises. His posture turns awkward and confidence vanishes from it, only masked surprise remaining. "Uh… _What?"_ That's the only thing he manages to say, gaze landing on your hand, a ring still on it. "Whoa, whoa, _whoa_ there," he blurts out, a chuckle bursting through, more nervous than humored. "Don't jump to conclusions so fast, lady. I dunno if you're married or not, but uh…" He falls flat on his words, a hand going to the back of his skull, scratching it as a befuddled look overcomes him. "Are you? 'Cause ya found me out, if ya really did thought I was flirting."

"I'm not married," you reply, sighing as you bring a hand to your nose, massaging the bridge in seek of calm. "But what made you think it was okay to try and flirt with me, if I'm here barking at you like this? Sucking up to me won't erase my anger." You let go of your nose, forehead creasing as you take a quick breath and chest tightening when you try to let your pride go, needing humility for your next statement. "I'm grateful your kind looked after Frisk while I wasn't there, but I just... I simply can't let things like what Asgore ordered to be done to _my_ kind, or even what Alphys did to her _own_ kind slip by."

"So you acknowledge you're overreacting a lil'."

"I'm not. I'm simply calling your kind out on their hypocrisy." 

The skeleton places a hand against his neck and stretches it, how restless he looks making you believe he's close to running out of ways over getting into good terms with you. When he lets go and huffs, patience returns, though not nearly at the same level as when he first approached you. "Maybe, but you're still gettin' too worked up over all this. Tori didn't even say she wanted to keep Frisk's custody for herself. She just wants to see the kid every once in a while."

Notwithstanding, you place your hands on your hips and refuse to let your scowl fall, your display of gratitude earlier ago seemingly nowhere present anymore. "Say what you want, but I still think it's ridiculous I have to let this matter go so easily."

He shrugs, resting his back against a rocky wall, gaze facing down. "Have it your way, then. I still think Frisk should decide if they want to see us or not again. 'Cause in the end, they proved themselves capable enough to free us from the Underground all on their own."

You don't say anything back and lay against the rock next to him, eyes landing on the waterfall cascading down and the river rippling with its force. While you knew it was unreasonable to prevent Frisk from seeing every monster around rather than a few of them, you refuse to give in. Pride over being right drowns every other sense of amiability. You had to stand your ground now that you'd gone this far; backing away would only show your weakness.

Silence keeps itself between you for some time, broken by him not long after your mind comes up with the idea of exploring the Underground on your own. Having him show you around didn't seem so fitting anymore. "So, uh… You're really _not_ married? But then why the ring?"

You quirk a brow, his question sounding genuine despite how blatant it is. Caught on a weak spot, you cross your arms and look away the second you meet with his irises, beyond embarrassed. "...Frisk gave it to me after my divorce. After, um… an argument, my ex didn't think himself responsible enough to look after a child, so he left. He pays child support and all that, but I haven't heard much from him recently."

"Ah." It's almost as if you can feel when his posture tenses again, a strain present in that sole sound he lets out. "Sorry 'bout asking."

Again, he sounds earnest, though you're not about to befriend your antagonist. "It's alright. But please don't try to flirt with your enemy ever again."

A more brazen look takes him over, and you can only brace yourself for whatever he plans to say next, his intent on pissing you off set on high. You engage in a staring contest as you wait, arms now crossed in a more defiant manner, firm over your chest. If the monster said you were stubborn, by the Sky above, you would stay true to it. If he was onset on pissing you off, you would do the same, multiplied by ten. An easy fight was in no way an honorable one.

"Enemies to lovers is a thing, though."

"Only in low-quality romcoms."


	2. 2 - Hey, mami

[BGM](https://youtu.be/ttuBhXchAxQ)

"Jump in," he says, opening the front passenger door. "I'll take ya to Tori's place so you can talk with her about it."

"What makes you think I'll hitch a ride from a stranger?" you ask, remaining in place. "And with questionable music, to top it all off."

While you're usually not one to make shallow judgements based on taste, you can't ignore how obvious he's being right now. There's a bell of warning ringing at the back of your head with the low rumble and suggestive beat of the song playing on the radio, and his beyond relaxed driving pose. Only one hand's on the wheel, the other hung over the open car window. He's either pretending or he's for real about his attitude, something hard to tell with how little you knew him. "C'mon, lady. We know our names and you know some of my past, don't ya? I'd say we're acquaintances, at the very least."

"I must refuse." You cross your arms, pointing at the minivan parked not far behind him. "I've got my own car to drive in."

The skeleton's gaze follows yours, his grin almost stretching when he gets a good look at where you're pointing at. "A minivan?" He snickers, a rumble similar to the song's leaving him. "You really _are_ a mom, huh?" His irises move on back to you, and you further protect yourself with the cross of your arms when you see he's eyeing you up and down, a different light flaring in his gaze. "You've got the looks of one, too. Tell me why Frisk decided to run off into the Underground all on their own? You sound and act like a good mom, as far as I know."

Sans hits another weak spot, one you try to mask by showing anger on your face, using the excuse of him having checked you out. "I doubt I should answer a guy who's just looked me up and down." You form a scowl, persisting. "You really have no shame, do you?"

He shrugs, the arm hung over the mirror slipping back inside the car and lowering the volume some. "What can I say, lady? Ya don't wanna be acquaintances, ya don't wanna be friends, and you're set on me being your enemy. The only thing I've got left's to try flirtin' with ya."

"You really _don't."_ You huff, letting your arms fall back to your sides, self-consciousness showing when you see his irises follow your movements. "Are you that intent on pissing me off? Stop staring at me like that."

"If I stop, will ya try to listen, for once? I just wanna help you and your kid out."

Humor vanishes from his skull, the serious note to his words augmented when he makes eye contact with you, music low enough not to distract you anymore. "Fine." You break away, looking back to your van. "But I won't ride in your car. I still don't trust you enough to be all alone with you." You pause, crossing your arms again when you feel too exposed, his comment on how you 'looked like a mom' making you assume only one thing: he'd noticed how unusually… _pudgy_ you were over some areas. While Frisk was now almost six years old, you still had noticeable remnants of your pregnancy shown on your figure, these you had tried your best to fix by creating a more vigorous exercise routine compared to before. But even to this day, you were still prominently similar in some aspects to the day your ex decided to break the marriage up, or aka: the day after you gave birth to Frisk. 

"(Y/N)?"

You look towards the skeleton when he calls out for you, a bit offput by him using your name. Truth be told, you'd already grown used to him calling you 'lady'. Any other name felt strange coming from his teeth. "You good?" he asks, a subtle furrow present on his skull. "You've been spacin' off for a while now."

"I'm good," you reply, careful not to let your voice break. It's not until you see him wipe the car door with his jacket's sleeve that you notice rain's began to fall, tainting the inside, a cause of him having left the window open. "You should close the window. I'll follow behind in my van."

"Ride with me." There's not a trace of humor left in him, though you still find it hard getting to take him seriously. "I promise I won't bother you 'til we get to Tori's."

"I still can't." You step back, eyes looking towards the passenger door to see it ajar, kept somewhat protected by the rain, yet still in wait for you. "Sorry, but I really _can't."_ Already feeling your clothes starting to stick, you reach out for your purse and take an umbrella out, shielding yourself from the rain. "Thanks for the offer, and for the tour last weekend, but… I still can't ignore how you looked at me and what you said."

* * *

With how heavy the rain gets, you can barely see when the monster takes a turn, forcing you to take a detour to the emergency lane, sucking up a cry of frustration. Of course, accepting would've been much easier, but then what about your integrity as a person? Some monsters were reported to have caused Frisk harm, one of them in particular said to have been a literal, _killer_ robot, created by none other than Alphys, the same monster responsible for hurting her own kind through means of experiments. 

And if that was the case, who knew what that skeleton could be up to? Whether jokingly or not, you were far from trusting over his demeanor and were in no means wanting to leave Frisk under the care of him, Toriel, or anyone else. Your husband left the second he deemed himself too irresponsible to look after a child. Who's to say a complete stranger belonging to another species wouldn't do the same, or worse?

"Lady, I'm sorry to say this, but we're gonna have to stop here."

Once again caught daydreaming, you look to your left, the muffled voice made more audible when you lower the window only slightly, keeping the rain outside. "It'll be hard gettin' anywhere with how strong it's pourin'." 

Sans is pretty much drenching himself, your urge to let him in your van being held back when you question yourself over it. You chew on your lip, clicking the switch the second after you scold yourself over your manners. "Get inside," you exclaim, huffing. "Don't just _drench_ yourself for me!" Without waiting, you turn your back to him and reach out for the seat next to yours, opening the door and closing it the second he's in.

"Wouldn't've happened if you'd just hitched a ride off me. Or exchanged phone numbers, at least."

"As if I'd do any of those two with _you."_

His breathing's scarce, your thoughts over why hadn't he chosen to use magic like last time answered to you when you remember what he'd said about Karma. "Use this." You offer out a towel to him, one you retrieve from Frisk's old school belongings at the back of the van. "Why would you go back, park your car behind mine, and then get down from it to talk to me?" Haven't I given off enough signs about us? Don't _do_ this for me. I can handle myself."

You find it hard not to stare when he slips off his jacket and throws it on his lap, revealing a bulky build despite him being a skeleton. He's soaked from head to toe, yet he pays little to no mind to it and takes the towel from your hands, patting it over himself. "You done starin', lady?"

"How are you so… big-boned? I thought that was just your jacket adding extra bulkiness to you!" You look away when you realize just how plain rude you've been. It doesn't help when you remind yourself he's drenched because of you. "That was rude of me," you speak, sighing. "I'm sorry." A strain takes over your chest, a frown accompanying it. "What I meant to say is… Why are you so, well… _husky?_ Is that normal for skeleton monsters?"

"Just as normal as it is for you to have those love handles down there."

You press yourself against the door next to you, looking away and keeping your distance from the monster. "So it's… _not?"_

"It's normal." He chuckles, honesty present in the roar of his laughter. "You sayin' it ain't normal for you to have those? 'Cause Human Anatomy's taught me it is."

"Wh- Why do you call them that, anyway? You know the scientific term for it, if that's the case, don't you?"

"I do, but I kinda like calling 'em that more." His irises keep themselves there for just a moment, returning to you when he speaks up again. "It's easier, and it makes more sense."

Wanting a source of distraction, you look towards the front window, seeing rain still pouring hard, a few drops beginning to slip into the ceiling, wetting the inside. "Why?" you ask, quirking a brow.

Sans stays still and tenses his smile, almost as if waiting for you to grow angry at any given moment. "Uh…" He trails off, a hand placing itself against his neck. "If I say it, will ya promise me you won't kick me out?"

"Again, _why?"_ you persisting, glaring him down.

"Just… _Promise_ me."

Again, you face the rain, how hard it is to see the road compelling you to agree. "Alright, but make it quick." You give him a look of caution, arms crossing themselves again. "This honestly makes it harder for me to trust you."

He nods, keeping quiet as he accommodates himself on his seat, placing the jacket down on the floor when you give him the suggestion to. Then, he stretches, shirt barely keeping his upper decency covered up. "So, what I understand by that term's, that, well…" His gaze faces yours, reluctancy present in it. "It's, uh, what you can hold onto when you're with your partner."

His words now make complete sense, yet you stay true to your words, holding back the want to kick him out. If this was another way of him getting to try flirting with you, it was the weakest and most awful one yet. Whether he was joking or not didn't matter anymore, your want to have him out of your life increasing with each second he spends inside your van. "You've sure got plenty of guts for a skeleton." You sigh, breathe back in, and turn down the air conditioner a notch, annoyance helping further contrast the cold of the rain. "Are you alright with the cold, sir? I know you lived at Snowdin, so I'm not sure if you're uncomfortable or not... But I lowered it since you got rained on."

"Warming up to me already, lady?"

You throw another towel at the skeleton, a scowl returning to your face. "Ask that again, and I'll kick you out for sure this time."

He laughs, taking the towel and draping it over his shoulders. "Duly noted."


	3. Announcement + A/N

Hello! Author here. :-)

I hope you're enjoying this fanfic so far, and if not, don't hesitate to let me know over any criticism or needed improvements!

Now, there's two things I'd like to announce! First off, I've made a brief poll to determine a few things for this story. You can access it through here[ 🍎](https://quotev.com/quiz/12665232), or by checking under my [Quotev profile](https://www.quotev.com/lemonlimeapple).

Secondly, updates will be weekly on Thursdays from here on! I've pretty much got 99.9% percent of the story planned out, since this was an idea I couldn't write when Undertale first came out (as my writing abilities were subpar, at that time). That remaining .1% will be determined by those who take the poll, wink wink. ;-)

And... That's about all I wanted to say with this, lol. Stay safe out there everyone, and take lotsa care!

Here's a sneak peek over the next 5 chapters of this story: 

_3 - Hot n' Hot-headed_

_4 - Thicc Thighs Save Lives_

_5 - Ya like jazz?_

_6 - Then what about bebop?_

_7 - Balcony, Balconx, Balsincostan_


	4. 3 - Hot n' Hot-headed

[BGM](https://youtu.be/DB6ZehoDnXQ)

With the rain forcing you to start up any means of conversation with the monster, you suck up your pride and give him your number half an hour into your wait.

"I might have jus' enough energy to drive us there without havin' to wait so much," he says. "But I'm gonna have to take the wheel from here on."

Letting him drive is by far crossing the line you've drawn between him and yourself, yet you can't exactly rule out his reasoning behind it. Before you can spell out another 'why' in protest, he continues, preventing you from interrogating him again, "My normal magic's strong enough for small tasks, so I can try castin' a veil over the windshield, kinda like how I did last time you almost fell into the river."

It makes sense, though you hesitate, pride further shrunken when you realize you didn't exactly thank Sans for last time. "Won't it tire you out?"

"A lil', yeah. But it's better than waitin' some more, and I can just sleep that off as soon as we get to Tori's."

You face the wheel, reluctant to let go. "...Are you sure? But what about your car?"

He nods. "It's already locked. We can think about that later."

Facing the rain, you bite on your lip and consider the options: either stay here for what you assume will be a few more hours alone with the skeleton, or agree with him and get to Toriel's on time. The meeting you have at work arrives to your mental to-do list, influencing your thoughts on what decision to make.

_Sans was offering to help you out, but at what cost? Would he bring it all up later and make mention of how much you owed him? And then again, hadn’t he been obnoxious enough with his flirting for you to have a counter-argument about it?_

Whatever his reasons were for having offered to show you around the Underground and help you meet Frisk’s monster friends, you truly _don’t_ have time to delay. As a result, you backpedal, sighing out your frustration and letting go of the wheel. “Thank you.” Glancing at the back of the van, and later back at him, you give him another look of warning before speaking up again, “Back away first,” you instruct, lips a firm line. “If you're gonna move over to the wheel, you're too close for what I’m about to do.”

"Sure." He grins, backing up against the front passenger door. “Whatever ya want, lady.”

You eye him over again, making sure he’s distant enough for you to do it. When you're certain, you flatten out your uniform's skirt, hold it down with one hand, and climb into the backseat as best as you can. Caution over not letting anything show deems your movements clumsy. Your foot almost slips, though you catch yourself, resulting in a not-so graceful land, face hitting the seats.

“You can move over now.” You fix your clothing, looking back to the front of the van when you’re done. “I’m not doing that again in front of you, so I’ll just stay here for the rest of the ride.” While you notice his irises have been gazing out at the rain, you don’t rule out the possibility of him having slipped in a look on you while you were moving over to the back. Simply confiding the monster with your van was enough trust for one day. Having given your back to him in the most literal sense possible was exceeding it.

“Noted,” he replies, laughing. “But don’t worry. If you’re worried about me ogling you, I only saw you climb over to the backseat, and nothin’ else. I don’t like lookin' at people _that_ way.”

“Didn’t you do that barely a few hours ago, though?”

“I was mostly kinda just surprised at how mom-like you look.”

You face him with stoic eyes, unamused. “Oh, that’s all, I’m sure.” You're sitting straight on the backseat, hands folded on your lap as you face the windshield, distracting yourself from his gaze. Worry over the rain not picking up makes you wonder if Frisk’s doing okay, and what they could be up to with the goat lady and the rest of their monster friends. “Are you always this shameless, or am I a special case for you?”

He winks, grabbing the wheel without breaking his irises away from you, neck kept turned to the back. “Whatever ya want it to be.” It doesn’t take more than another hostile look from your part for his smile to tense again, irises almost appearing to do the same. “Damn. "He whistles, looking away and grabbing the wheel tighter. “You’re a tough case, lady."

"Yes, and I have my reasons for it."

* * *

"I am not asking to take Frisk away from you," the goat lady says, a smile showing through, made pained by the furrow in her gaze and teary eyes. "I am only asking that, now that you require a babysitter, I take that job myself. They are very dear to me and I cannot bear to never see them again." She breathes sharply, holding back her gloom. "I understand you may not trust us, but please _do_ get to know us before you make your judgment, and perhaps then you will realize we only want what is best for your child."

"And couldn't you think that when your kind decided to attack them?" You place your hands on your hips, dismissing thoughts over your meeting once more, too caught up with the current situation to give mind to your job. "I was told many of your kind attacked Frisk for little to no reason. And then I decided to ask what that sentry job implied, and I find out Sans was actually meant to _kill_ any human who crossed him?" You try not to let your voice grow loud, yet thoughts over losing Frisk and the desperation you went through searching around for them make you livid. You're tearing up yourself, yet you prove unable of composing yourself like the goat lady does, letting these stain your cheeks. "You expect me to _trust_ a guy like him, when all that kept him from killing my child was Karma and a supposed promise he made to someone else? Do you expect me to _trust_ him when- when he could've done the same to me, or anyone else of my kind? How can you expect me to stay calm, when your kind acted badly in their own way?"

You're full-on crying now, pent-up worries of the days you spent on a relentless, fruitless search over Frisk almost making you wobble to the ground, your wit and sheer want to be strong preventing you from showing it. You cover your face with your hands, an innumerable amount of doubts and guilt entering your mind. Your knees are frail, stress being let out through a huff and hands letting go when you compose yourself. "I thought Frisk _hated_ me, a- and that's why they ran off." You feel a hand place itself on top of your head, careful yet attempting to soothe you. "I thought I'd done something _wrong_ , or that I failed as a mother. But then I hear people yell something about a Barrier breaking, and- and next thing I know, Frisk shows up in the news!"

While the current hand is fluffy, the next one makes you jolt back up into guard. Its bony feel on your shoulder makes you shake it off and face the one responsible with narrowed eyes. When you see it's Papyrus, you hold back and face him with gentler eyes, a frown replacing your anger. "I'm thankful for what you all did to look after Frisk while I wasn't around, but I still can't… I really still _can't_ overlook what Asgore wanted to do to my kind, or what he ordered Sans and- and other monsters to do." You breathe in, chest heaving. "Hate me if you will, but I need time to understand the reasons behind all this."

Too weak to stand any longer, Papyrus takes note of that himself and helps you off to the couch, where Sans rests at. His usage of what little magic he had left in him shows through how slumped his sitting posture is, eye sockets half-lidded as he tries not to fall asleep. He straightens and scoots away, leaving more than enough space for you to sit down beside him.

"Human," the taller one says, keeping a hand on your shoulder, bringing you to stare at him. "We do not hate you. What we want is for you to hear us out and understand we mean no harm any longer." He pulls back, gaze knitted as sympathy shows on his smile. "I was once meant to capture any human who crossed on over to Snowdin, and as you said… Sans was meant to end them." He stops, smile fading. "I do not expect you to forgive and forget, but I _do_ ask you to please listen to what we have to say and try to understand the rather… _complicated_ relationship humans and monsters used to have."

There's barely two hours left until your meeting, yet the rain's still pouring strong and the news left on the television is already reporting nearby routes being flooded. Frisk is sleeping at the goatlady's bedroom, helping make the situation a bit easier for you to manage. At the thought of being stuck with the monsters for what you assume is going to be a long while, you sigh, trying to regain strength and calm. 

"Been rainin' a lot since we left the Underground," Sans comments, a tired slur to his words. He's changed the topic completely, helping you with the process. "Think this's really connected to us? A lotta channels've been blamin' monsters for it."

"I think it's silly they'd blame you for it," you reply, finding more ease in the topic. "There was a heavy drought not long before Frisk fell Underground, so I think it was to expect we'd have even heavier rains soon." Surprisingly, he offers you a napkin, avoiding the touch of hands by pulling back as quickly as his magic-worn state allows him to. "...Thank you." You sniffle your tears and wipe your face clean, stopping when you hear muffled laughter coming from him.

"What?" you ask, facing the skeleton.

That only makes him break down more, containing himself to reply, "Nothin'."

You hear Papyrus huff and feel him stand next to you. He offers a mirror out to you, something you reject when you tell him you have one in your purse. "Sans, now's not the time for this!" he exclaims, hands on his hips. "You'll never gain her friendship if you keep disrupting every opportunity you have for it!"

While listening to their argument, you see Toriel's sadness vanish right on par with yours. You look at yourself in the mirror, holding back a laugh of your own when you see two circles on your eyes, a color blatantly opposite to the (s/t) shade of your regular skin tone. It makes you appear similar to a panda, though you try not to look humored by it. 

"Frisk fell for that at the Underground," the shorter skeleton comments, snickering when his brother finally stops scolding him. "And now you." His grin widens, posture straightening more and tiredness being replaced with merriment. "I've said it once and I'll say it again: like mother, like child." 

Whatever form of retaliation you're about to direct at Sans is stopped when you see the door of the living room slam open, in entering two women, both soaked from head to toe. Alphys is the first one you recognize, the taller one who takes you longer to distinguish with how little you knew about her still. Neither of the two seem bothered over being drenched, Undyne being the one who grins and sighs, later commenting about how refreshing it feels. Alphys takes in the feeling for some time, though she removes her lab coat and shoes, wringing herself out before stepping into the living room. When the other woman's done, her eye falls on you, immediately growing as her smile does the same, sharp teeth baring themselves in excitement.

"Is that the human you told me about, Alph?" she asks, voice booming. "You're right. She really _is_ cute!"

You here Sans hiss out an 'ooh', hearing him speak right after, "Bad move, Undyne."

He's not wrong.

Having experienced more than enough of Sans's flirting for the past few weeks, hearing yet another monster comment over you in a flattering manner is unwelcomed. You stand up, facing the two with your trademark pose: frowning and with your arms crossed. "Nice to meet you, miss Undyne." You spare a look at Alphys, who jolts at the intensity of your stare. "My name's (Y/N) (L/N), Frisk's mother. Though I'm sure you know that already." You offer a hand out to her, reminding yourself to be polite. "I believe I have questions as to why you thought it acceptable to go off and chase my child at the Underground, even when they were deemed to have caused no harm to your kind."

She takes your hand, a more serious look taking her over when she nods. "I'm afraid that was also a job assigned to me as part of the Royal Guard, miss (L/N)."

You shake her hand, nodding back. "And I'm afraid you'll have to explain that to me, miss Undyne. As I'm sure you know, I want nothing but the best for Frisk, though I still have to get to know their monster friends better to understand what this's all about." 

When the handshake's over, you both take a step back, facing each other with stern gazes. "In the end, I believe it's my right as a parent to decide whether or not it's safe for Frisk to keep being friends with you." You pause, reflect, and make sure to add your next comment, wanting to be clear with everyone around you, "And not because of your race, but because of your background."


	5. 4 - Thicc Thighs Save Lives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will be moved over to Saturdays from here on (hence, the early update)!
> 
> Long-ish author note regarding those changes can be found at the end (or at my Quotev's Journal), in case you're curious about some stuff.

[BGM](https://youtu.be/ZPN8xb0aQ0M)

"Why would you attack without waiting to see what Frisk had to say? If you were informed enough to know there was a human running free in the Underground, then couldn't you have known they weren't causing any harm, in the first place?"

Having sat down once more, your stillness doesn't last long. Anger keeps you from staying in one place without fidgeting, letting energy out through a composed leg bounce. You face down at Undyne, who keeps herself seated, eye meeting with your gaze. "How many of those six souls were murdered, and how many of them were self-sacrifices? I… I wouldn't be so angry, if you were just honest with me and told me how many human lives were taken without their approval, and exactly how many of them sacrificed their lives for you, in the end."

At the thought of Frisk, still selfless over many things based on how young they were, you keep your posture straight, eager to say more. "And was there really no other solution other than taking those souls? If… If Frisk saved your kind without having to give up their own life for it, then why did all this happen? Why did _six_ people have to die before another solution could come around? Or were they threatening the lives of your kind? 'Cause if that's the case, that makes a lot more sense than simply taking away the first human you see, no matter their age or intentions."

Even after you're done, Undyne still stays silent for a while, eye now cast down at the floor as she frowns, hands grabbing onto her lap. "Well," she says, sighing. "I was only ordered to chase after whatever human I crossed paths with." She lifts her gaze from the floor, a hand toying around with the scales on her neck, distracting herself from you. "It wasn't every day a human would fall down, so we were eventually ordered to, well... _kill_ whatever human did happen to end up down there… Indiscriminately." Finally, she makes eye contact again, frown quivering as she takes another pause. "According to what we were told, it had been years since a human last fell down, so when Frisk came in… I just sought after them without thinking twice."

"But if _that_ many years passed, couldn't your kind have looked for another solution? If Alphys made a robot out of nothing but scraps, and with two different forms, mind you, then... Then couldn't another scientist on similar or equal terms of knowledge have done something about all this? Why wait so long, if… if all it took was a _child_ to find another solution for you? Where's your sense of justice? Or does it only apply when it's convenient?"

"Miss (L/N), in all honesty, I…" Undyne stops, facing down again as her grimace deepens, sorrow dampening her eye. "I'm... I'm not sure how to answer that." 

Seeing you've reached a dead end, you glance over towards Alphys, who tries to look away, failing when you call out her name. "What about you, miss? Was there really no other thought in mind other than waiting for the next _prey_ to arrive? Was there really no…" Your breathing grows scarce, hinting at incoming tears. "Was there really no other option than for us to be enemies? For your kind and mine to… to just keep up with the damage our ancestors did?"

The lizard woman's shaking, yet you maintain your stance, only lessening your level of intimidation by uncrossing your arms and looking away from her, giving her space to reply. "I'm n- not sure what to say, e- either, but… Y- You do have a point." She wrings her hands, her shaking attempting to compose itself. "But... But as a former scientist of the Underground, I wasn't told much over what the rules were. The o- only thing I took participation on was in... in creating Mettaton's new body." Her hands unwind, shoulders copying them. "I- I know he was programmed t- to kill humans, but-"

Her words are interrupted as Frisk walks into the living room, still sleepy-eyed. They rub their eyes with the sleeve of their shirt, a frown presenting itself when they take a good look at the scene before them. _"What's wrong?"_ they sign, expression furrowed. They take in everything around them, letting their face lose tension when their gaze moves on over to you, encouraging them to approach your side. _"You're here!"_ Frisk grabs your hand, taking a look at the time on your watch. Then, they raise an eyebrow, letting go of you to continue. _"You're not going to work today?"_

You smile, let your guard fall, and bring them into your arms, holding them up. "The streets got flooded, so I can't go," you reply, kissing their cheek. "How've you been, though? Had fun?"

They grin, nodding as they bring their arms around your neck, hugging you close. "I had fun." You tense a little at the sound of their voice, how often selective mutism kept them from saying things out loud making their voice a rare thing to hear. "Are you gonna stay here, then? It's raining a lot!"

"I believe she has no other choice, dear," Toriel intervenes, easing out the tension left from your earlier conversation, still unfinished. She arrives next to you. A set of clothes are held up in her hands, these neatly folded and accompanied with soap and a towel. "Miss (Y/N) was waiting for the skies to clear up, but the rain and the floods have made it near impossible for any of us to leave this house." You set Frisk down and take the clothes, surprised to see a set of pajamas, and even a pair of underwear, unused based on the size tag still attached to it. "I am not sure if these sizes will fit you, but those clothes are all mine. ... _That_ included." She giggles, winking at you. "The bathroom is upstairs, if you would like to shower now."

You inspect the clothes again, anger simmering down as you take in a deep breath, reminding yourself to be stern, not rude. "Thank you, ma'am."

* * *

Barely a month into knowing the monsters, and you're already staying at their place. While Alphys and Undyne are capable of leaving under the current weather at will, neither Frisk nor you can step a foot outside without drawing it back in. The streets are a mess of puddles, nature-made swimming pools, and car alarms going off. The scenery outside is close to that of a tropical storm, with the exception of strong winds and roof panels flying around.

As you stare outside, Frisk now resting on your lap, you can only worry over two things: the lost meeting at your office, and the stranded car belonging to Sans's brother. You comb your fingers through Frisk's hair, using that as a means of entertainment from your worries. They're still sleeping soundly, tired out by both finishing their homework and playing with you at the indoor, mini playground Toriel set up for them.

"...I'll pay for any damages to your car as soon as this clears up." You direct your words at Papyrus, who stops gazing outside to face you, looking dazed. His mind looks to be somewhere else, though another squint at your appearance makes him snap out of it.

"That is the least of my concerns now, miss." He smiles at you, leaving the window to crouch next to you, couch occupied with Frisk, Sans, and yourself. "I can go look for it tomorrow morning. And as for whatever damages it gets, I am certain my insurance will look over this case! There have been plenty of news reports discussing the damages made by the rain, so it is not my greatest worry." His gaze falls on Frisk, a warmer look reaching him. "Do you want me to carry them back to bed? It's getting late!"

"It's fine-"

"Please, I insist!"

You smile at his persistence, far more endearing than his older brother's. The thought makes you pay attention back to Sans, who's still showing signs of exhaustion on his body, slumped over to the corner. His eye sockets are closed, dark circles beginning to show under them. 

"Thank you." You pay attention back to Papyrus, who takes Frisk in his hold, propping them safe with both arms.

You stand up, ready to help out, yet he dismisses your actions with the words, "Stay and chat with Toriel. I assume you both still have plenty to talk about, don't you? You should take this opportunity to talk with her and the other ladies! Perhaps, you can leave this place with a different perspective by the time the rain stops."

"I will." You nod and watch him leave, carrying your child up in his arms with seemingly no difficulty. His steps fade as so does his figure, leaving you be with Sans sleeping at the couch, the owner of the house by the kitchen, and Undyne and Alphys standing by the living room. The pair's gazes are occupied on the window, carrying a similar expression to Papyrus's from earlier before.

You don't even know how to start up another conversation with the last one having ended poorly, yet try again by using the easiest route possible: going over to Toriel and asking if she needs help with dinner. You stand up and stretch, legs numb with how long Frisk had been sitting on your lap. It's only fortunate tomorrow's Friday, the beginning of another weekend.

"Can I help with anything?"

Those are the first words you say as you enter the kitchen, greeted by the smell of boiling vegetables and the sound of a knife against a cutting board. Toriel's next to the stove, cutting up some carrots, stopping to look at you. A smile forms on her face, and she nods once, pointing at the potatoes at the counter next to hers. "Did Frisk go back to sleep?" she asks, facing back at the carrots again, continuing with her work. "I am amazed at how much energy they have, and how little they want to sleep. It is only when I insist they need to rest for their health that they do so."

While you're not sure if she's being indirect or not, the goat lady's words lead you to assume one thing, and that's Frisk not wanting to waste time sleeping when at the monsters' home. With you, they went out like a light, going to sleep right when you told them to. Only when family members came to visit did they break that rule, too excited over the new faces to sleep. 

"Papyrus took him back to your room," you reply, reminding yourself not to let your thoughts drift again. "And that's... normal for them, actually." You decide to be truthful with her, following Papyrus's advice. "They usually don't like to sleep when they're too excited about something. Every time my family visits, they're just a big ball of energy and don't sleep until everyone's doing the same." A smile forms at that, a memory from when your ex came to visit Frisk slipping through. "When my, um… ex-husband used to visit, they would just stay up late playing games with him. So I guess Frisk feels the same way about you and their other monster friends."

With the potatoes already washed and peeled, all that's left is to cut them and throw them into the pot. You ask her over what size you should cut them, turning your back to her again when you're given an answer. "Is there anything you would like to ask me about, miss?" Toriel questions, speaking in between cuts. "If there is any doubt you have over me, and even over Dreemurr, Sans, and others I know well, I can inform you about it. But as for things that are personal, that is up to them."

Thunder crashes at the nearby window just as you're slicing, finger almost ending up in the same condition as the potatoes, prevented by your reflexes. The lights go out on par with another blast of lightning, plenty more violent than the first one. "Goodness!" you hear Toriel say, following the sound of her voice to see a sphere of flames held up in her hand. It reveals her face, furrowed with worry. "Are you alright, miss?"

"I'm alright." You set the knife aside and join her side, following her orders when she informs you there's candles on the bottom drawer beside her. You act quickly, taking them out and lighting them up with the help of her fire magic. "Are you?"

She nods, a gentle look crossing her. "We should go check on the others." Her gaze points back at the drawer, left open. "Could you bring more of those?"

"Of course, ma'am."

You take the emptiest box of the three and follow her out of the kitchen, surroundings pitch black with the exception of a bright and glowing blue spear held by Undyne, Alphys standing next to her. A tall figure can be seen next to the couch, person who you assume's Papyrus based on who's left to find. On a closer look, you see a smaller figure stand next to him, their hand held tightly in his. "Has anyone seen Sans? He's not at the couch anymore!"

Looking said direction, you see he's right, couch empty with the exception of your purse and Frisk's belongings. Reminded over what's in your bag, you go look for it, bumping into someone just as you're about to take it. You wobble and, at the feeling of losing balance, you act quickly. You hang the purse over your shoulder and grab onto the person, not needing to do much when you notice the height doesn't reach higher than your torso, your sturdier body helping with the break of the fall.

Losing balance, you sit down on the couch, holding the person upright and letting go to look through your purse, retrieving a solar flashlight from it. You direct the light right at the person's face, welcomed by Sans's, who looks caught in a bad deed. "Are you okay?" You don't bother over bringing up the fact he faceplanted right into your torso, hands gripping onto your waist for support; the sheer sincerity of his surprise makes you assume he hadn't done it on purpose.

"I'm, uh… I'm fine." His words are just as spacey as his gaze, irises pointing down at your lap for just a second, spacing off yet again. "Sorry about that." He sits right beside you on the couch, facing up to meet with your eyes. "I was gonna check up on the ceiling since it's rainin' hard. Kinda looks like it'll start leakin' soon."

Thunder strikes again, sending the monster back to your hold, hands gripping onto your shirt as he freezes just before he can get to reveal his true meaning over his disappearance.

"Are you… Are you _scared_ over this?" You try to push down your amusement, yet are unable to when you see his grip is tight enough to remind you of a cat being frightened. When another one strikes, louder than the rest, you bring up another question, biting back a smile. "Is it the noise?" He tenses up even more, encouraging you to bring him closer, his current proximity far different from his attempts at flirting with you. "Sans." You call out his name, attempting to snap him out of it. "What's wrong? You're as cold as ice!"

He doesn't react, though you can feel him shake and shiver under your hold. You look down at him to see his eye sockets are tightly shut, how much he's scooted closer making him sit himself on your lap, his smaller figure helping you balance him in your hold. 

As you keep him that way, you can only ask yourself one thing:

_Would you come off as an insensitive jerk if you decided to tease him over this in the future?_

At the sound of a louder crash, the skeleton's unresponsive, caught up in his fear.

_...Or would it work best not to take that risk?_

For the time being, you hold him closer. The feeling of everyone's eyes on you rises when you break your eyes away from the skeleton, looking around you to see Papyrus and Frisk too busy playing with a candle to notice what's happening, and Toriel having her attention focused on lighting more candles. It's only Alphys and Undyne who take notice, both their faces equally enlightened by what's unfolding on the couch. They look ready to yap their mouths off over the situation between you and Sans, yet one sharp look of caution at the two keeps them from saying anything about it.

Whether they knew about Sans's fear you didn't know about, and whether he wanted it to be known you weren't aware over, either. For now, you hold him close, trying your best to ignore the women's stares and waiting until Sans snaps out of it. His hold on you's firm and close, undiscriminating as the thunderstorm gains strength.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if anyone happens to be reading any of my other fanfics, this's here to let you know I've unpublished 3 of them for 2 reasons:
> 
> 1\. I've finally found a writing style I'm much more comfortable and happy with (aka, this one). The ones I deleted were still written in my old style. They will return, but after I rewrite them and finish my 4 current ones.
> 
> 2\. I'll be focusing more on this story and the Beastars one, since they're the most fun I've had writing since quarantine started. (And a pretty good distraction from what's happening in the world because of it.)
> 
> What do those changes imply? Well, for starters:
> 
> 1\. I write a lot faster than I used to. (One chapter of this length [2,800 words long] took me double, sometimes triple the time it takes me to write one now.)
> 
> 2\. I can use my free time from housework, schoolwork, and other responsibilities to write plenty more in one sitting compared to before.
> 
> Aaand, that's about it with this note! Stay safe out there, everyone. :-)


	6. 5 - Ya like jazz?

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/lVUrY3fCQPM)

If you told your past self you would be in the monsters' home at midnight, wearing borrowed pajamas and staying the night on their couch, you would've most likely been asked over what the hell you were smoking. It's what you assume will be a sleepless night, giving you time to reflect on what's happened so far and what opportunities you'd lost with the blackout. Not only had it interrupted your time with Toriel, but it had brought upon a new piece of information you weren't quite sure what to do with, and that was Sans and him being afraid of thunder. While one side of you wanted to tease him over it, the other, based on how raw his fear was and how much he seemed to have entrusted his safety on you, wanted nothing but to question him and try comfort the monster over the situation. In short, sympathy over him sounded hard to do without him taking it as the results of his flirting, yet making fun of him made you feel like a jerk.

You only wanted what was best for Frisk and both monsters and humans as a whole, but that didn't mean you were about to forgive people like him easily. While you were aware over the meaning behind Asgore's order to take seven human souls, some of them had been children, barely the same age as your own child. And deaths were still deaths. Perhaps, if the fallen humans had been guilty of causing harm and suffering to monsterkind, it would've been a different story, but so far, Asgore was unwilling to give specifics over the names and stories behind those souls, just as most monsters belonging to the Royal Guard were.

"Can we talk?" You look towards the voice to see Sans stand by the television, hand gripping its top for stability. His body language shows nothing but exhaustion and caution, though you don't let your guard down, still wary over any possible flirting attempts. "About the blackout thing, I mean."

The circles under his eye sockets are darker than before, a bit of a strange observation to take in, considering how much he's slept already. If this is what he meant that he needed Karma for his magic, it made sense. A half-hour trip to Toriel's with him casting a see-through veil over the windshield had proven more than enough to drain his magic and all energy left in him. 

_But if that was the case, why did he accept his job as a sentry if his task was to kill any human who crossed him, right from the start?_

_Was he willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of obtaining that soul, and simultaneously, his kinds' freedom?_

"Sit with me," you offer, caught in the spur of the moment. "You already sat on my lap, didn't you? Why try to be modest now? I wouldn't have minded that much, if you'd at least taken me to dinner first."

You hear him snort at that, a hand covering up the noise when he catches just how quiet everything is. "Sorry, (Y/N). I may like flirtin' with you, but physical contact's where I cross the line. If it ain't done with your consent, I don't intend on doin' it." He rubs the back of his skull, looking guilty. "So with that being said, sorry for all that. For, uh, slammin' right into you, huggin' you, and then, well... lettin' me sit on your lap without askin'. I wasn't myself back there."

His look is not far from that of a wounded puppy, and it's only when you pat down at the space left next to you that he reacts, sitting down and facing your gaze. "Did something happen in the past? Were you… in a war or something like that?" PTSD's the first thing to come up into your thoughts, though you're not exactly sure how to approach the topic with him. "You don't have to answer me, if you don't want to."

"Thanks," he says, facing his lap, shoulders high as he huffs, tension present in every movement. "It's somethin' like that. But like you said, I don't really know how to talk about it yet." He lets out a noise between a chuckle and a flare, meeting your gaze again. "I didn't really know just how… _loud_ thunder was at the Surface, so when it first happened, I was even more caught off guard by it. Today wasn't that bad, and I already knew what was comin', but I still acted that way."

"Do… Do other people know about this?"

"Only Tori and my bro. They were the ones who saw me in that state the first time."

You bite your lip and let out a sympathetic hiss at his comment, remembering just who'd caught you and him in that position. If Alphys and Undyne really _didn't_ know anything about his fear, then judging by the wide stares they were giving you while the skeleton sat on your lap, their point of view was clearly far different from yours. "What's wrong?" he asks, mirth returning to his voice.

"Remember when you sat on my lap?"

His face falls, tone straining, "Is remindin' me a way of you gettin' back at me for what I've done?"

You huff, lifting your arms in the air, a sudden burst of self defense. "I'm being serious here, Sans!" you exclaim, grimacing. "Alphys and Undyne... They _saw_ us like that, so I was wondering if you already knew about it, too."

"What?" he asks, a subtle furrow showing on his skull. "Did they really see us?"

"Yes!" Your response is muffled by you covering your face in shame, face burning at the thought. "They… If they don't know about your condition, then they… They probably thought we were hitting it off on the couch!" With how hot your face feels, you're forced to let it go, directing a pointed gaze at Sans, who tries to ease you out with the gesture of his hands and a hush. You try to lower your volume, reminded about it by him. "They probably think we're dating now!"

"And what's so bad about that?"

_"Everything!"_

Frustrated, it takes a few breaths in and a few out for you to calm down, regaining composure when you remind yourself over what's more important currently. "I don't want neither of us to get carried away with that, so I'll just tell you this," you speak up, maintaining a calmer tone and looking at the skeleton right in his irises. You narrow your eyes at him, wanting the gravity of the situation to be known. "I used to be a married woman, and I waited two whole years of dating just to, well… _be_ with my husband, only to then have him ditch me the second he found out I was pregnant." You pause in your words, feeling tears form in your eyes, embarrassment and sorrow both weighing the same. "If there's anything I need less of, it's romantic drama! I don't mind you flirting with me, but if any false rumor gets out about us, I... I really won't be able to forgive myself over it."

You pull your intensity away and back off. The more you talk, the more you realize this has nothing to do with the skeleton, aside from what transpired with the blackout. "What happened earlier was accidental, and I firmly acknowledge that. But if you're going to keep up this flirting charade with me, I'm gonna need to ask over one thing: _don't_ spread false rumours about us." You wipe a tear off your face, looking away when you feel his gaze on your body, burning you. "I… I want to be a good mother figure for Frisk, so if I want that, I really _can't_ be depicted as an easy prey. It was bad enough when my ex told his friends he'd knocked me out first try."

Huffing out your tension, you let your anger fall and panic lessen, offering a smile and a hand out to the skeleton when you're done. "Think we could both put this day behind us? I won't push further over what happened to you, but I… I expect the same kind of respect and treatment from you."

Sans takes your hand, completing the shake. "Ya really gotta ask, lady?" he says, a snicker leaving him. "Respect's somethin' that should be given right from the start, so long as the other person's showed it, too." He pulls his hand back, meeting with your eyes afterwards. "I may like teasin' and flirtin' around with you, but I still hold respect for who you are as a person, just as I hold respect for those mad thighs you've got over there."

Truthfully, his last sentence catches you off guard, and you almost pass off his words as nothing. But when you _do_ realize over the comment he makes over _that_ particular aspect of your body, you stand up, towering over him with your hands on your hips and a scowl. "Good- _night_ ," you bark, teeth gritted.

"Wait."

Just as you turn to leave, he grabs the end of your pajamas' sleeve and calls out your attention with the call of your name. A muffled, jazzy tune followed by yelling and fighting can heard from the television, now on. "Watch somethin' with me," Sans says, serious. "I know ya ain't sleepy, and that this is actually where you're supposed to be sleepin' at, so don't leave."

You don't budge, pouting your lip, huffing, and keeping your back turned to him. "Unnecessary comment leads to a necessary need to retreat."

"C'mon," he pleads, letting go of your sleeve. "I won't make any more of those 'til the sun rises."

"...Promise?"

"Promise."

You finally face him again, keeping a neutral look as you sit down next to him. The television displays a black-and-white film, action present in every second of it. When the monster asks over what you'd like to watch, you don't give him a concrete answer, letting him choose instead. He passes by a few channels, sound clips amalgamating with each other as he switches back and forth, stopping when a DreamJobs movie shows up, a bee pun quickly making its way to your ears.

"Wanna watch this?" Sans asks, waiting.

"Whatever you want, honey," you reply, arms crossed as you look him in the eye, attempting to one-up his past flirting attempts. "I bee-lieve I told _you_ to choose, didn't I?" You wink, soul leaving your body when you see he grins at your actions. 

He returns these by hooking an arm right behind the couch, leaning in just a bit closer to your side and staying true to his words by not once touching you. "Flirtin' back now, huh? Surprised you didn't just tell me to buzz off."

You stare at him for a good while, stricken by his defense. When you're capable of moving again, you stand up and make way to the kitchen, only stopping after reminding yourself over how helpful Sans had been these past few weeks, and just how little you'd shown your gratitude over it. "I'm gonna go get some water. Do you need anything, Sans?"

"You're all I need right now, lady."

"I'm _serious."_

He chuckles, slumping on a corner of the couch as he rests an arm behind his skull. A grin returns to his face, sly and dangerous. "I'm good," he says. "Though it wouldn't be bad if you could take some monster meds outta the bottom pantry."

You frown at that, reminded over his physical state. "Are you still tired?"

"Nah. Just got a little headache, is all."

Unconvinced, you enter the kitchen and follow his instructions as to where the medicine is. You take the one marked with 'acetaminophen for monsters', bringing two cups of water along with you, tap water for you, and from-the-fridge for him. Taking a cup of water from Toriel's household made you feel bad, even if it was just warm and from the tap.

When you return, you sit next to the skeleton and offer him the medicine first. Then, you offer him a glass, though he takes the warm one.

"Think I didn't see what ya did there?" he asks, winking. "Ya ain't gotta restrict yourself so much, lady. You're as much of a family as Frisk is."

You grab onto the remaining glass and hold back your emotions, how hard they hit making you drink the water to avoid them. "...Thank you, but I'm not." You drink the rest of the water, not wanting to let your voice waver. "Frisk may be like your family, but I certainly am not."

The movie distracts you when Sans decides to look at you, the mood of the film far more whimsical and upbeat for your current state of mind. "Like I've said before, please don't waste your time on me, 'cause it's not gonna work." 

Silence stays as you both watch the movie, broken when he finishes his glass. "'Fraid that's not gonna work with us, (Y/N)." His voice is serious again, a rarity for who he is. "Just as we're insistent on Frisk being a part of our lives, we're insistent that you can be that, too. It might take time, but it'll happen with effort, integrity, and mutual understanding."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this?
> 
> Another early update??
> 
> So, judging by how long it would take to post all the chapters for this story, it would be around 10-12 months posting 4 chapters a month (weekly). Meaning that, since my goal's to finish this story in less than a year, updates will be weekly on Saturdays (as mentioned in the last chapter), with an additional update the second Thursday of each month!
> 
> That's all I wanted to say with this! Hope y'all are enjoying the story so far.
> 
> Stay safe out there. <3
> 
> (Also, for those wondering: the survey results will be effective from chapter eleven onwards. Thank you for voting!!)


	7. 6 - Then what about bebop?

[BGM](https://youtu.be/hSZdEeLLE4k)

With yesterday's uniform already washed and dried, you're ready to go off to work the second you're out of Toriel's home, no detour to yours needed. You're all set to leave, though you stop to say your farewells and instruct Frisk over how they should behave while you're gone. "Wait for me, alright? I have to work overtime today, but I'll be right back before ten." You smile at Frisk and place a hand over their head, playing with their hair before pressing a kiss to their cheek.

_"Does this mean Toriel's going to be my babysitter from now on?"_ they sign, a hopeful light in their eyes.

"...Yes." You relent, not wanting to be late. "For the time being, at least."

Even with that addition by the end, their joy doesn't fade away, something they show through a grin and a wave. "Take care, mom!"

You wave back at them, warmth left in your chest at the sound of their voice. It was rare for them to speak out loud, no matter who the person was. The only chances you'd gotten to hear their voice was when their father used to visit, whenever they wanted to say they loved you, and most recently, whenever they were left under the monsters' care. You dismiss that thought to focus on making it to work. Needing to be sure over your plans, you check the time on your phone to see there's still around three hours left: one for running errands, half to grab a quick bite to eat, one to make it on-time to work, and the other half left to excuse yourself over yesterday's meeting. 

When you see Undyne's legs emerging from under your van, you subtract the hour for running errands, only expecting the worst scenario from how much rain had fallen yesterday. "Is something wrong?" you ask, clutching your purse for support.

The fishwoman slides out from under it, arms and hands smudged with oil, debris and dirt. She doesn't seem to mind though, grinning up at you. "The battery and some other stuff got damaged in the rain, but it's nothing my girlfriend and I can't fix!" You offer a hand out to the woman, though she declines and stands up on her own, commenting about not dirtying your outfit now that you were going off to work. "We've got a motorcycle in the garage, so if you know how to ride one, then feel free to use it." She looks over to the minivan, a hint of smugness slipping on her face. "If you don't, Sans can give you a ride." She jabs your waist with her cleanest elbow, what you assume is a wink being directed at you, albeit difficult to tell with only one eye. "How about it, (L/N)?"

_Don't look at a gift horse in the mouth._

That's the only thought you can come up with as she offers you a solution, the jab she'd given you confirming your suspicions as to what she believed was going on between you and Sans. Regardless, you don't say anything about that and nod. Best to go with the flow of things for now, tardiness unwanted. "Thank you," you speak up, words almost forced out, the thought of being at such a close level with the skeleton again making your temples ache. While using the escape and excuse of taking the next bus, you're not sure whether to risk it or not, and give into the woman's offer. "Is he… around?"

"He's at the garage," she replies, sliding back under the vehicle. Her voice sounds muffled when she continues, the melody of tools and metal clanking being heard as she keeps on with her work. "Think you could tell him Papyrus doesn't need a lift anymore? I got a call from him earlier saying the car's back in shape."

You bite your lip, frowning. "Did he say how much the repairs cost?"

"His insurance covered up for him this time. A lot of cars have been getting damaged under this weather, so it really isn't a surprise for companies to receive those calls anymore."

"Still," you persist, sighing. "If there's any way I can help, then please let me know." You rummage through your purse, retrieving a twenty, a ten, and three fives from your wallet. "I, um… don't really have enough cash on me right now, but I can pay you more formally when I'm back."

Undyne slides back to you, eyebrow creased, eye narrowed, and lips frowning. "I'm not asking you to pay," she says. "I like getting my hands on stuff like this, so it's really no big deal."

You crouch down next to her, sliding the money into her jeans' front pocket. "It still feels bad not to." Standing up, you dust your dress's skirt off and check the time marked on your phone again, reminding yourself not to make any further delays.

"Hey!" She calls out for you when you leave without any other words or wait. To counter, you rush off to the garage, both as an escape and a necessity. "I'll get you next time. You're lucky I'm laying down right now!"

Her words fade as you make way to your next destination, being greeted with a helmet the second you're in. A motorcycle stands in front of you, engine rumbling as the driver holds it back, his face kept hidden under another helmet. "C'mon," the monster says, his expression unknown to you, voice similar with how quick those words are muttered. "I already know you're late, so I ain't gonna press any buttons right now." You see his head lower, a comment following after it, "Suggest ya hold on tight with what you're wearin'."

You face down at yourself, seeing heels and the usual skirt of your work uniform. While it's nothing out of the ordinary, it makes sense as to how it can be hazardous wearing both pieces while riding a motorcycle. Taking the monster's words into account, you nod and sit behind him, hands awkwardly slipping around his waist. "...May I?"

"Not may," he says, a chuckle leaving him. "You _should."_

Words accepted, you press yourself closer against the skeleton, arms tightly locking around his waist and chest brushing with his back. Your hands can be felt growing sweaty, reminding you to be cautious despite the well-intentioned meaning of the ride being offered to you. "I'm ready." You can hear your voice shake, though you hope he hasn't, the engine helping drown out part of it.

When Sans steps on the gas, your words fall short and you grab him tighter than before, the loud roar of the vehicle sending out fear inside you. "You're _not,"_ he remarks, holding back a laugh. "Just grab on tighter if you're scared. I won't bite."

You do as suggested, ignoring the humor in his tone as you close your eyes shut and squeeze him tight enough to cut his laughter. 

"Ready now?"

"Y- Yes."

He charges right off, wind stinging your arms with how fast it blows. While fear clings onto one side of you, adrenaline takes hold of the other, allowing you to open an eye and peak at the scenery before you. The monster zooms past all sorts of sights and sounds, from birds foraging through trees to other engines rumbling. It's an exhilarating feeling at its least, and an overwhelming one at its most.

He stops at a red light, sparing a glance at you through the mirror to chuckle again, more amused than the last. "The more I know you, the more mom-like you act," he says, prepping the motorcycle again.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You drive a minivan, wore those long pajamas Tori gave you to sleep, and now you're scared of speed." The light changes, muffling out part of his voice as he drives off again. "What's next? Do ya work as a teacher, in an office, or under the medical field? Those're usually the top three."

You don't want to give him an answer, reluctant to let him know he'd been right. "...I'm a secretary," you reply, facing down at his waist.

He laughs, hard and deep. The sound alone makes you ease in, how earnest it is making you break into a smile yourself.

"Called it."

* * *

You're a mess by the time you make it to your first stop, lipstick smudged, skirt wrinkled, and body still shaken by the ride. Sans waits until you're done fixing yourself, though as expected, he makes a comment along the lines of how you didn't need to bother, since you still looked good, all according to him. You ignore those comments and face him only when you're done freshening up, mind focused on what you were meant to do now that you'd made it to a shopping center.

The hustle and bustle of everyone around you stops whenever they walk too close to where you're at, the sight of a monster and a human together a surreal one based on the looks others display, varying mostly between shock, amusement, and caution, sometimes all three at once. You step out of the motorcycle when the skeleton offers a hand over to you, further making those around you demonstrate their confusion over the scene unfolding before their eyes.

You don't bother giving them a minute of your time, instead keeping your hold firm on Sans's hand and nodding your head when he casts a look at you. _"Play along,"_ you mouth. "Don't bother with this stuff," you whisper, close to his ear cavity. "I've already tried before, and it hasn't worked." To avoid letting the situation receive another meaning from him, you hold his hand stronger, getting him to walk closer to your side again. "If human and monster children get crap over being friends, and yet are still strong enough to keep on going, I think we should be the same, too." You say those words only loud enough for him to hear. Then, you move your gaze away from him to direct a stern, unamused look at a passerby, this one having stayed looking at you for too long.

You continue walking and ignoring stares until you arrive at the school supply closest by. With Frisk having been gone for almost a month during their time spent at the Underground, plenty of things had changed at their school. One of these were the new materials required for the start of their second semester, mostly for physical education and the newest addition of a gardening class. Although you hadn't thought the skeleton would offer himself to help you get through your to-do list, you adapt and thank him. Truthfully, you expected him to simply drop you off at work and leave.

"Do you want to eat something first?" you ask, spotting a diner barely a block away. "There's still time, if you're really up for this. And Undyne already said Papyrus got his car fixed, so you don't need to go pick him up anymore."

"Askin' me out? Thought I was the one who owed ya dinner for last time."

Not wanting to satisfy his teasing any longer, you ignore his comment with a hum and search through your purse. From there, you retrieve some brand-new ear plugs, these still in their packet. "Here," you say, handing them over to him. The monster was lucky you weren't a morning person, and that he'd caught you in a good mood with the rush and the wind of the ride. Any different situation, and you would've come up with a quick retort to his comment. "I'm not sure if it'll work on your kind, but… Frisk uses them when they need to study or sleep when they're not sleepy. They get distracted easily, so I usually carry them with me, just in case."

It takes Sans a minute to react, a grin showing when he takes the ear plugs from you. He looks them over once before saving them in his pocket, the outright cheeky look he gives you making your senses grow alert again. For certain, there was no letting your guard down whenever he was near. "Thanks," he says, winking. "You're a real d _ear_ underneath all that exterior. All bark and no bite."

"Don't test me," you warn, frowning. "And don't call me d _ear_."

"What about babe, then? Or do ya wanna be called Mrs. Serif already?"

You huff and hurry to the school supply, leaving him behind. "I'm fine with _neither._ Thank you." Your steps are haste, only waiting when you open the door, keeping it open for him to enter next. "But if anyone's last names are getting replaced here though, it's _you_ who'd be named Comic Sans (L/N). I don't do replacing names, unless I get to keep mine."

"Dominant," he comments, whistling. "Nice."

Already feeling a headache coming through, you sigh and pay more attention to the list at hand, heading off to the store's arts and crafts section first. "Need anything for you or your brother?" you ask, keeping your eyes focused on the materials displayed. There's a bunch of items you figure could catch Papyrus's interest given how much he liked spending time with Frisk, be it playing with them or helping them with homework. That thought makes you throw in a few items regardless of having not received an answer yet, endeared by the image of Frisk being happy over the surprise, and the taller skeleton as a follow-up. Not only did Toriel ensure to be a great babysitter, but Papyrus was attentive over Frisk's happiness just as much as he was over his elder brother's. "My treat."

You almost forget who you're shopping with, thoughts having drifted away more than you were aware of. It doesn't take long to be reminded of your company, his comment one that drags you back to the present, too quickly for you to manage.

"You're already a treat all on your own, lady."


	8. 7 - Balcony, Balconx, Balsincostan

[BGM](https://youtu.be/YYob4uDjEKI)

Would she get angry over him having caught her dancing?

That’s the only question Sans can ask himself when he enters Frisk’s bedroom, both mother and child too busy moving to the fast-paced beat of the song to notice him by the door. Against interrupting their moment, he stands by and observes. He pays attention to both people involved in the dance, though his irises waver over to the near flawless sway of (Y/N)’s arms, waist, and footsteps, following up to the harmony of the song. The view makes him wonder if, perhaps, she’d practiced a similar dance for the night of her wedding. It’s either that, or she’s secretly a dance teacher, somehow balanced with her work as a secretary. There’s likely no other reasonable explanation over the swiftness and clean execution in each step she takes, likely to must have some professional experience based on how quickly she adjusts to the changes in rhythm with overwhelming ease.

“Come on, dear!” she exclaims, grabbing her child by both hands and swaying them around the room. Her feet stomp rhythmically against the wooden floor, keeping up with the younger one's pace. “We’ll be dancing this for your birthday in no time!” She laughs when Frisk stumbles and covers it up with improv, claps being given as a reward over their recovery. “See that? You’re doing great!”

The music carries on playing as they both take a break, though the smile on (Y/N)’s face fades away the moment she takes her phone. She lowers the volume some and frowns at the screen. Her expression's kept hidden from Frisk, who’s now resting their head on her lap, their breaths steadying while hers quicken. Her gaze turns wet, her shoulders become stiff, and she blinks a few times, lower lip bitten on to stop herself from crying.

“(Y/N)?”

Sans doesn’t know what makes him call out for her so quickly, something about the woman frowning with genuine sadness rather than annoyance over his flirting making his soul ache. She looks towards him, her shirt’s sleeve wiping the one tear that _does_ manage to leave her cheek. “Yes?”

He wonders just what excuse he can come up with, choosing the worst one out of pure unpreparedness. “You dance good.”

Weren’t Frisk on her lap, he would’ve no doubt assumed she would be kicking him out by now, yet all she can manage is another question, sounding borderline pissed when it leaves her mouth, “Just how much did you see?”

“...Everything?” Again, he screws up, seeing her glare darken. “I mean it, though," he adds, hoping for the best. "Are ya really gonna dance with Frisk for their birthday?”

Finally, she smiles, a nod accompanying it. “Yeah. It's... kind of a tradition by now.” She holds Frisk by their underarms, standing up to lift them high in the sky. “It’s our fifth time doing this, right, dear? Though I doubt you remember when you were three!” She twirls them around, laughing when Frisk does, the pair's foreheads bumping with each other when they stop. “And I’ll keep doing it for as long as they want to!”

Her phone rings, halting her joy again. She sets Frisk back down on the floor and clenches her hands in seek of courage. When she finds some, she takes the device from where she’d left it, eyes tearing up again. “Could you watch them for a moment? I… I need to take this call.”

Sans nods, gesturing for her to go on ahead. “No problem, lady. Take your time.”

"Thank you."

When she’s gone, Frisk’s smile falls and its not long until they frown. They approach the skeleton's side and tug at his jacket, grabbing his attention. He looks down at them, now sitting by the floor, music long faded from the room. _“Is mom okay?”_ they sign, facing him. _“She’s been looking at her phone all day, but she won’t tell me what’s wrong.”_

Sans lets out a sigh, sitting beside Frisk as he nods, trying his best not to bring any unnecessary tension into the situation. “I’m sure she’s fine,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s just, uh… worried, as a parent.” While he wasn’t one for making quick assumptions, he can only figure the frown on her face is connected to her ex. If it was Frisk’s birthday soon, it would no doubt mean he was trying to make contact with her again. “She just doesn’t wanna make ya worry ‘bout unnecessary stuff, so maybe that’s why she’s keeping it from you.”

The monster figures he’s said something wrong when anger shows on Frisk’s face. He sees them stand up, hands balled and gaze narrowed. “Why would mom’s troubles be unnecessary?” At the sound of them speaking, he braces himself, fearing the situation's become a _way_ bigger deal than he expected it to be. “How... How can you worry so little, if you like mom so much? I thought you’d at least make an effort to ask what’s wrong!”

“Kid,” he calls out, caught off guard by their outburst. “I don’t really think I’m in the right place to be askin’ her about that kinda stuff.” His face turns warm, how Frisk managed to find out what was going on between him and their mom a mystery to him. The skeleton had been extra careful not to flirt with (Y/N) when Frisk was around, mainly to avoid unneeded drama, as the woman once mentioned herself. “And how do you even know I like your mom?"

“You just admitted it!” They point a finger at him, frowning. “Why do you like her? D- Dad said he did, but it didn’t last long. And... And didn’t Toriel break up with Asgore? How should I know you like her for real, then?”

“You're buttin’ into stuff that ya don’t really understand yet.”

“It still doesn’t mean I’m not right! S- So if you really like my mom, y- you should ask her what’s wrong... Last time something like this happened, it was all my fault!”

Not quite sure how to approach them now, Sans resorts to telling them to sit back down and finds preparedness through a deep breath. "Listen up," he says, patting the top of their head. "This is somethin' ya shouldn't be worryin' too much about. I know it's normal and natural for you to worry, but this stuff's somethin' only _she_ can deal with right now." He lets go, pausing for another breath. "I'm not sure how she got hurt, but it's likely it wasn't your fault."

_"How can you be so sure it's not my fault?"_ Again, Frisk switches back to sign language, though the faint tremble of their hands lets Sans know they're not convinced yet. _"You said you didn't know how she got hurt!"_

"And it's 'cause I ain't pushin' for you to tell me anythin'. Unless you really want to, the only thing I can get from this situation is trouble she's having with someone else, not you."

Frisk huffs, bringing their knees against their torso as they hug themselves, speaking up again, "If I tell you, c- could you tell me if it's really my fault?" They sniffle, hugging themselves tighter. "I... I really _don't_ want to see her like that anymore."

"You really okay with tellin' me about it?"

They nod. "...Yes."

* * *

Sans catches (Y/N) at the balcony, standing in the middle of Toriel's plants, potted cherry trees, and a wide variety of floral arrangements. Her face points down, and he can see the silhouette of her phone in her back pocket, a sight he quickly looks away from when he realizes just _where_ he's looking at. She's quiet, though when he hears her sniffle, he calls out for her, making her turn around.

"Oh." He's welcomed by that noise and a face with runny mascara and smeared lipstick, a view (Y/N) tries to cover up by taking a napkin from her purse, covering the mess away from his sight. "I'm sorry," she says, fixing herself. "I made you wait too long, didn't I?" She crumples the napkin and pockets it, face now revealing a tired gaze. A few subtle marks of makeup are still present, though he chooses not to comment on them, not wanting to interrupt her just yet. "I should go now." 

  
  


Her steps are quick as she tries to walk past him, making him resort for yet another improv, this one worse than the last. "Wait," he calls out, grabbing her arm.

She reacts almost violently to that touch, a yelp coming from her lips. When she looks down at his hand, he catches a trace of embarrassment in her gaze, rounded eyes going back to their normal state after he lets go. "Wh- What is it?" She tries to sound polite, though there's an edge of caution in her tone.

_Had she reacted out of fear, or was his flirting actually getting to her **that** badly?_

"I need to talk with you about somethin'."

"...Can't it be done tomorrow?"

"Frisk asked me to."

(Y/N) softens up at the mention of that name. She lets her shoulders fall and frown disappear. A smile shows through, apologetic in more ways than one. "I have another meeting at five today," she explains, holding onto her purse. "Think it could be done after that? I need to take another call before I leave." She spares a moment to look at the time on her phone, facing what Sans assumes is a late hour based on how her smile wavers. "I'll... I'll probably just take it on bluetooth while I drive." She pinches the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes and huffing out a breath. "I'm out of time already."

Finishing the conversation, (Y/N) opens the door and smiles again before leaving. It's a look far different from her previous gloom and a change too sudden for it not to warn over something. He hears her mutter something under her breath right as she passes by him, confirming his suspicions, even if he really _couldn't_ catch what she'd whispered to him.

"What?" he calls out, gaze furrowed.

He sees her stand right behind the door, keeping it ajar. "I said, _thank you_ , Sans," she replies, a muffled laugh sounding out from her. "You're a pretty decent guy when you're not trying to woo me over every ten seconds."

She closes the door before he can say anything, the same embarrassment from before returning to his face. He wonders whether she's joking around with him or not, the way those words had come out clearly meant to be taken that way, but the look in her eyes conflicting with that thought. Whether she was fed up with him or not he was less and less certain of the more he got to spend time with her, harder to tell when she was being serious about him or not.

_Was she making fun of him?_

_Or did she really mean those words?_

Those are the two main questions to occupy his mind as he approaches the place (Y/N) had been standing at. He looks over the railings of the balcony, the view of flourishing nature and cloudy skies helping him not give too much thought over the situation. What brings him back is reminding himself of what Frisk wanted him to talk about with their mother. While Sans could've easily declined saying the topic was none of his business, as he stares again at the sky and considers the possibility of things having finally settled down for everyone he knew, he figures that's the best possible way to pay back for being let out into the Surface. 

_But how in the world did Frisk manage to find him out?_

_Was he being too obvious, or were they really **that** observant?_

At the thought of what (Y/N) had said about not wanting any more drama pushed into her life, he considers whether to stop, or to be more subtle in his tries. He halts himself for a second, considering over just _why_ he was so persistent in flirting around with her these past few weeks. She already seemed to be immune to flattery, so it seemed pointless to even try.

_So what made him want to continue?_

He remembers his first meeting with her, far different from what he anticipated. Rather than following along with his jokes, she had outright watered him down with each comment he made, and shot back at him without hesitation.

_"I'm not here to play games,"_ she'd said. _"And I don't care whether you're monsters or not. I just want to know what the hell made you entitled to try and hurt my kind, even if you really **were** just using that to leave the Underground."_

She had her trademark pose at that time, arms firmly crossed and a frown etched deep in her expression. 

_"I'm aware my kind isn't **that** innocent either, but that doesn't mean you can just waltz up to me and say you believe in mercy and compassion, when you barely showed that with Frisk at the beginning of their fall and in the process of their journey."_

He'd first met her at the exit. Her knees were just as wobbly as the rest of her body, giving signs to how much she'd run just to get to him. Barely a week had passed since the Barrier broke, yet she was already there before him, panting to catch her breath, but determined to speak her mind all the same. 

_"If you could explain to me why all this happened, and just what was the relationship between humans and monsters before your kind ended up trapped at the Underground, then maybe then we could understand each other and be friends."_

She'd taken a pause, a brief moment in which he can only wonder today if, perhaps, she'd forgotten about the word 'friend' the moment she let out a breath. 

_"But for now, we're nothing but strangers, and I intend to keep it that way until I'm sure you won't bring harm over anyone else."_

Sans figures he'd made his first screw up that same day, having chosen to start joking around with her right from the beginning of their meeting. Barely given no chance to catch her breath from the drive and run from the city to Mt. Ebott, he figures her tired state had helped greatly in making her hate him more than she possibly could have, had he _not_ chosen to joke around with her right from the beginning of it all.

_"We might be strangers now, but just wait 'till I give you my number. We'll get through that stage quicker than you got here,"_ he'd replied, grinning.

He'd offered her water, yet she'd promptly declined, passing off his words and actions as nothing.

_"I don't take drinks from strangers, and I certainly won't humor them, either."_ At that moment, she'd towered over him, a scowl still present on her face. _"So either explain to me why **you** , the supposed representative of judgement for the Underground, thought it was okay to let these things slip by, or leave me and my child alone, and tell your kind to forget Frisk ever existed for them." _He still remembers even the pause she'd taken after that, the anger in her gaze and voice intensifying. _"If your failed comedian act is your way of covering up the fact you had a huge responsibility down there, I'm **really** not buying it. So either be serious with me for a moment, or I'll cut this meeting short myself."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once more, here's a preview of the next 5 chapters:
> 
> 8 - Shut it, Jerry
> 
> (An old flame appears!)
> 
> 9 - Mother, you had me at quinoa
> 
> (Dating Start!)
> 
> 10 - Dead or Alive
> 
> (Things get serious.)
> 
> 11 - Two bros, chilling in a hot tub
> 
> (Things turn awkward. Then... not-so awkward.)
> 
> 12 - Darmstadtium, Protactinium, Chlorine, Thorium, Oxygen
> 
> (Mild chaos ensues.)


	9. 8 - Shut it, Jerry

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/0NB7eOfb8Us)

"How do I look?"

"'Fraid you're askin' the wrong person, lady."

You shift closer and swat his shoulder, pouting at the skeleton. "C'mon," you say, facing him. "You're the only one I trust won't sugarcoat how I look, if you pointed out those 'love handles' I've got barely a week ago." 

"So? I was just makin' a comparison between us, not callin' you out or anythin'."

"But you were still bold enough to say I had them."

You pull your hand back, noticing it's been kept on his shoulder for far too long. Then, you scoot away, growing aware of just how close you are. "I don't want him to think I'm still hung up over him. It's been almost seven years."

"Are you still thinkin' about 'im, though?"

"Hell no. He can go date whoever he wants."

Sans grabs the area where you'd touched him, the sight of that making you worry if, perhaps, you'd involuntarily crossed a line with him. You're not sure how to ask if you've made him uncomfortable, so you back off, shifting further away in your seat as you set your hands over your lap and face down. "He was patient enough to wait those nine months until Frisk finally came to this world, so I can't really blame him _too_ much." You take in some air, maintaining your pride. "But that still doesn't mean I don't want to look my best. I've moved on, and I… I really want that to show today."

Appearing convinced, the monster nods and sits up straighter on the couch, irises scanning your face for a good while. He then carries on to your attire, a wider grin showing through. "You look good. Not really much different from your regular self, in all honesty."

"Please, be honest with me here, Sans."

"But I _am_ being honest." He averts his gaze from you, posture turning rigid as he faces elsewhere. "You don't need to try and look like you've moved on, 'cause it already shows."

Unsure how to approach his comment, you grab the fabric of your jeans and clench your hands, huffing. "If you really think so, then…" You breathe, chest feeling tighter than the belt around your waist. "Thank you."

You stand up and fix your clothes for what has to be the twentieth time today. Your heart's racing just as much as your thoughts. Honest to goodness, you were nervous over meeting him again, and not because of butterflies or lingering feelings, but for how much had went on since he last visited. At the thought of him meeting the monsters and learning about the month Frisk was absent from your side, your worries heighten, and anxiety eats right through your confidence. Nervous, you gulp and look back towards the couch again. "Could you… follow me outside?" You wring your hands, clasping them as a frown shows up on your face. "I could really use your company and annoyance right now."

He laughs at that, nodding again as he stands up and joins your side, winking when he looks up at you. "Thought you'd never ask, (Y/N)."

You still can't help feeling strange at the sound of him saying your name. While you were fully aware it was nothing out of the ordinary, and that he was now in close enough terms to call you that instead of lady, there remains a sudden flip in your stomach whenever he says it. Whether it was due to how wary you stayed around him or how incessant he was with his flirting, it's still impossible for you to acknowledge that and get over those feelings.

The temperature changes as you both step outside. In contrast to the warmth of Toriel's home, you're greeted by cold winds and the occasional water droplets falling on your face and body. At the hint of rain coming soon, you dwell on last week and how you were limited to stay the night at this place. You wonder if the same will apply for today, or if you would have to cut your reunion short.

"Guessin' it was real tough that month without the kid around, huh?" Sans asks, hands in his pockets. "When I think about it, it's kinda hard to believe it's already gonna be a whole month and a half since we left the Underground, and that it's gonna be Frisk's birthday soon, too." 

You look down at him, smiling when you meet with his eyes. "Has it felt like less or longer to you?"

"A weird mix between the two, actually."

Your gazes break from each other at the sound of an engine rumbling. A familiar color flashes before your eyes, the car that parks at the sidewalk bringing back memories, ones you try to push down. "Tori was already plannin' out somethin' for 'em by that time," the skeleton says, distracting you from the view. "Has she talked about it with you?"

"Not yet," you reply, facing your shoes. "But I wanted to ask her if she wanted to help out, since she's always talking about Frisk and all her adventures with them."

Against yourself, you taut up at the sound of a person stepping down and a car door being shut. Now that you're actually about to confront your ex, it's hard for you to keep your confidence and face up at that sight. "You should do it, then." Again, Sans's voice helps melt your worries down. "I'm sure she'll be more than happy to join you in that. And pretty much the rest of Frisk's monster friends, too." You can feel his gaze on you, though you don't look towards him, still too anxious to move your eyes away from the floor. "And I'd be happy to help, also. So just say the word, if you need me."

The scent of flowers catches you off guard, making you look up to see a bouquet being offered out to you, your ex-husband standing behind them. "How's it going, sweetheart?" he asks, a smile on his face. "I missed you."

You back up against the door to Toriel's home, facing the man with careful eyes. Your breathing quickens at how different a greeting it is from your expectations, the sight of no companion making it clear as to what the bouquet meant. It's more than apparent over what he's trying to do with the lull in his tone and the look in his eyes, though you don't acknowledge it. To counter, you step closer to the monster's side and look at your ex right in the eye, remaining stoic and unresponsive. "I'm doing alright," you reply. You take the flowers from him, paying little attention to them and ignoring his other comment. "This is Sans," you add, gesturing with a hand over to him. "He's one of Frisk's friends from the Underground."

The pair exchange a look, one you can only remain curious over when you remind yourself of the purpose for his visit. You glare sharply at him, standing your ground. "Why return after a whole year of not coming around to see your child?" Finally, you cross your arms, letting your displeasure known through a grimace. "Frisk was gone for a whole month, and yet you never worried to ask if I needed help with that or not!"

You take a step forward, anger bubbling the more you let those words dawn upon you. "You came to visit only after the hardest stage was over. The one where I needed you the most!" You hold yourself back, against letting your voice turn any louder or making a scene.

"I waited _nine_ months just to end our marriage, and I'm still paying child support to this day."

"And _I_ had to divide time between taking care of a one year-old with work and college!" You huff, trying to contain yourself. "This isn't a competition, Jerry. It _never_ was." A sharp bite to the inside of your lip is what's necessary for you to keep yourself from tearing up, not wanting to show weakness in front of him. "I don't care if you decided to leave, I just wanted you to at least pretend you cared for Frisk. Not just show up and visit once a year like freakin' Santa Claus!"

He glares back at you, keeping it that way when he looks down at Sans, his height not only towering over the monster, but you, as well. "At least I'm not dating a _Halloween_ decoration seven years after my divorce!" 

_Wham!_

You shove the bouquet right at his chest. Your nostrils flare and hands ball up tight as you stare him down, your frown changing for a deep and unwavering scowl. "Don't talk to him like that!" You pause, taking another step forward, enough for him to step down. "And don't give me flowers if you're just gonna assume I'm dating someone else! I'm _through_ with you, Jerry, and it's been that way since _six_ years ago."

Jerry's eyes lower back to the skeleton, who takes his hands out of his pockets and straightens up. He faces your ex, looking amused. "So _this_ is the girl you told me you liked, man?" he asks, brushing you aside to make way towards Sans. "Is this _really_ the chick you told me you were into? I thought we were bros!"

"Wait, what?"

Those are the only words you can say out loud as you watch the two confront each other, tension thick in the air. Jerry takes in all of it, while the monster keeps his cool, shrugging at his bro. "Sorry to lay it down, but yeah," he says, chuckling. "She's who I'm into." He spares a quick glance at you, winking to further fuel your ex's anger. "Gotta say, it's a bit awkward. Though I really dunno why you're so worked up over this if you had your time seven years ago. Ain't my fault you two broke up."

"She's my ex- _wife_ , bro!"

"Yeah. I'm aware of that now, pal."

You back away from the door when it opens, revealing a frowning Toriel behind it. "Is everything alright out there, you two? Someone sounds angry." When she catches the sight of Jerry, her gaze brightens, a smile taking her over. "I see our new guest is here! Come along now. I cannot wait to meet Frisk's other parent!"

"Just a sec, Tori," Sans says, grinning up at your ex. "Just havin' a talk with 'im first."

She nods, a knowing look being exchanged between them two. Then, she closes the door, leaving you be. You take a step back, not quite in favor of getting caught up between your ex and a monster with a seemingly one-sided crush on you. 

"What more could there be to talk about?" Jerry asks, scowling. "If I'd known it was (Y/N) you'd been talking about this whole time, I would've _never_ told you to try giving it a shot!"

He storms off inside the house, closing the door and leaving you alone with the skeleton, who beckons you over with his irises, a look of caution in them. "You okay?" he asks, hands going back inside his pockets. "Sorry I got ya mixed up in all this. I know you don't want any drama, but I really didn't know he was your ex until now."

You stand by the door, leaning against the wall next to it while you consider his words. Soon enough, a smile shows up on your face. "It's alright," you say, dismissing his words. "The look you gave each other before this kind of... showed that." You pause, curiosity making its return. "How did you guys get to know each other, anyway?"

"Met 'im while workin' at a hotdog stand." Sans joins your side, similar to the day at Waterfall, but with an easier atmosphere present between you. "He came over to grab a bite, we found some stuff in common, and then we kinda just became friends from there." He hums, a faint chuckle interrupting it. "We started talkin' about our love lives two weeks into gettin' to know each other. About a week after you confronted me over at Mt. Ebott." His hands leave his pockets, these placing themselves behind his skull. "I told 'im I'd met a girl I was interested in, but when he asked for specifics, I said she wasn't really into me. Told 'im she was a single mom, and that maybe that had somethin' to do with her not fallin' easily enough for my flirting."

He stops, though you still want to hear more. You nod, hope over him carrying on remaining. "Is... that all?"

"You'll get mad at me if I keep tellin' you what I told him about you."

"I can't promise I won't, but I can promise to listen to what you have to say first."

The monster takes in a breath, his relaxed state replaced by a subtle mousiness he tries to cover up, mainly by remaining casual. "I told him your stubbornness and integrity were kinda just... _hot_ , and that I kinda had a thing for not only your looks, but just you, in general. As a person, I mean."

"Do you still feel that way about me?"

You don't know what made you blurt out that question, but it's too late to dwell over it. 

"Course I do," Sans says, rubbing the back of his neck. "I told 'im that last part just a few days ago." He stops again, breathing in deep once more. "I was, well, just doing it for fun, at first. But now... Now I kinda really mean it when I flirt with you, (Y/N)."


	10. 9 - Mother, you had me at quinoa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate Chapter Title:
> 
> Hey, mami (the sequel)

[BGM](https://youtu.be/UnAtZBfG368)

"Where are you going?"

Frisk's voice takes you by surprise. The lipstick in your hand ends up on the counter when you turn around and try to cover up the rest of the items left displayed. Between makeup and perfume, you're certain it's going to be hard explaining why you're dressing up so much on a day off. "I'm going grocery shopping." Your words are blurted, not wanting to be caught in a lie. "And then I'm going to meet up with a friend."

"Is it a date?"

Their bluntness makes you delay on a response. You gulp and breathe in, mind searching for an answer. "No," you say, guilty. "We'll just be hanging out."

Giving up, Frisk closes their mouth and signs their next question, appearing more confident when they do so, _"Is it Sans?"_

You try not to let your gaze widen, feeling your heart already thumping. "...How do you know?"

"You admitted it right now," they exclaim, pointing a finger at you. "You're just like him!" An angry look crosses their face and their arms lock with each other. They pout and huff, eyes being glossed by tears as some stain their face. "What… What are you trying to hide? You're always keeping things secret from me!"

"I'm not hiding anything, dear." You scrunch your nose and bring a hand to your forehead, tension eating you up. Then, you sit next to Frisk in bed and grab them by the shoulders when you continue, "He just invited me over to his place for some dinner. I don't even see him as a friend, so I… I really don't think him as my boyfriend would be any closer, either." You take another breath, preparing yourself to keep going. "I mean it when I say we're just going to hang out." When you see Frisk keep quiet, you hold their shoulders tighter, getting them to face you. "Are you worried over me? Sans, he… He told me about what you were feeling guilty over."

They freeze under your touch. A faint, concerned frown displays itself on their mouth, one they try to fight off. "What did he say?"

Their voice is too quiet for your liking, warning over them being close to tearing up. You pass a hand through their hair and brush their bangs off their face. From there, you press a quick kiss to their forehead, allowing them to relax for a moment. "He said you felt guilty about dad leaving, and that it was one of the reasons why you ran away before falling to the Underground." Frisk holds you stronger, shivers, and presses their face against your chest, remaining there while you talk. "He also said you still felt guilty over last time you ran away, and that you felt bad about those calls I was getting from your dad before he came to visit Toriel's last week." You let go of Frisk, wanting them to face you. "You shouldn't feel guilty, dear," you add, placing a hand on their head. "Jerry left when you were just a baby, and in the end, it was a choice we both agreed on."

"But why did you agree?"

You don't want to answer, though judging by how close they are to crying, you taut your shoulders, brace yourself, and check the time. 

_5:30 p.m._

Sans would be arriving in half an hour, and while you were already dressed up and ready to leave, your current situation makes you wish for him to be here already. You sniffle and try not to let the situation get to you. Wearing mascara helps with that. "Your dad..." You stall for time, far from ready to be direct with Frisk over what happened after their birth. "He said he didn't feel responsible enough to look after you, so he left the day after you were born." A headache makes you stop for a second. Tension weighs down on your shoulders, and you can feel your hands grow sweaty, a product of anxiety. "But he still came to visit twice every week until you were three. He just… wasn't ready to become a father."

"And now he only visits on Christmas!"

Frisk stands up, hands fists and feet stomping. A glare's present on their face, meant more at who they exclaimed about rather than at you. "Dad only came over last week to see who my new friends were. He… He doesn't even check up on me anymore, but then… But then he _still_ called you all those times j- just to say me falling down was all your fault!"

At the reveal of new information, you grow short of breath. You look at Frisk in the eyes, frowning. "How do you know that?"

"You got sad every time dad called, and I heard him saying it was your fault one time! But… But when I asked Sans about it, he said it wasn't something I had to worry about!"

"And that's because it's true. None of this is your fault, dear, and none of this is stuff you should be worrying about."

"You're my mom!" they shout, voice breaking. "Do you- Do you really expect me _not_ to care? Maybe dad visits me sometimes, but you're _always_ there. I can't just ignore you!"

"You're not ignoring me." You wipe the few tears that manage to make their way out, using a wet wipe to avoid smudging the mascara around. "This is just something only _I_ can deal with."

"That's _just_ what Sans said!" Frisk sounds a level or two beyond exasperated. You take a new wipe and clean the sadness away from their face, though it continues to pour down, no matter how many times you do it. "If… If I made it safe and with new friends out of the Underground, how come I can't help you with this?"

You try to find peace of mind, a challenge too big for you to take without having energy drained from your body. "Just like you made your journey through the Underground, this is part of my _own_ journey. I don't need your help to overcome it. Simply you being here by my side is enough."

Frisk softens up and pulls you into a hug, murmuring something against you.

"What?" you ask, not quite catching their words.

"So… So none of this is my fault?"

You hide their face against your neck and hug them back, twice as tight. Then, you shake your head once and pull them closer, kissing their cheek in the process. "Of course it's not, dear. You were barely a year old when that happened. And the first time you ran away, you were only four, and it was all because your father and I were arguing too much." You stop, eyes stinging with pent up tears. "If anyone's guilty here, I think it's your dad and me."

The alarm on your phone rings, signaling for you to be making your last arrangements before leaving off to Sans's home. You let go of Frisk and pat their head. They smile at that, giggling when you poke their waist. "I have to finish getting ready." You turn your back to them as you make way to the dresser. There, you organize your makeup and fix the few smudges on your face, wanting to leave things in order as well as look your best. When you're done, you face Frisk again, smiling when they catch your eye. "I should be back by eight. Are you sure you're okay being left with Undyne?"

Frisk nods, going back to sign language. _"As long as she's not cooking, the house is safe!"_

"Well, lucky for you, food's already waiting at the stove," you say, chuckling. You gather your keys, wallet, gum, and every other thing you can think of inside your purse. While you're not sure why you're nervous over meeting the skeleton at his home, being prepared for the occasion makes it easier for your mind to rest. Truthfully, the day at Toriel's and the motorcycle ride the day after had helped you ease in more with Sans by your side, though that didn't mean you still weren't wary around him. You check your phone, hearing it ring again, but with a different tone this time.

_\-- be there in 15 mins._

_\-- i'm already at your neighborhood, but i stopped to go look for somethin'._

_\-- you ready, (y/n)?_

_I think so._

_\-- nice._

_\-- i wanna show ya somethin' before we get to my place._

_Care to elaborate over what is that 'something'?_

_\-- take it i'm still a stranger to you?_

_Very much so._

_What do you want to show me?_

_\-- there's a place that sells sweets nearby._

_\-- i'm kinda there right now, just passin' by._

_\-- saw the line, and it turns out it's the new patisserie thing that opened up last week._

_\-- it's makin' muffet's bakery some good competition, so i went to check it out._

_\-- what kinda sweets do you like?_

_Well…_

_I don't know what's your plan, but..._

_I guess (f/d)'s pretty good._

_\-- then we'll go buy some there together first._

_\-- on me._

_What's your plan, Sans?_

_Are you still trying to make this a date?_

_\-- not really._

_\-- unless you consider it that way, i'm fine with finally getting the chance for us to be friends._

You put the phone down and back away, needing a moment to take in the weight of the monster's words. While you're not sure if he truly means them or not, you can't avoid taking them into consideration. You want to ask why he wants you to be his friend, yet by the time you pick up the phone again, there's already another message up on screen. 

_\-- i'm here._

Your eyebrows furrow at that message while your hand scrolls to see just how much time passed since he last sent his previous one. It's a ten-minute interval between them both, making you question over why you'd taken so long to form an answer. You leave your bedroom and rush off to the living room, hearing the motorcycle from afar. Behind you, Frisk sits by the couch, eyes following your movements like a cat after lazer's light. 

"I mean it," you say, facing them. "It's _not_ a date."

Frisk grins, propping their elbows over the armrest and resting their chin on top of their hands. They then let go of that pose and sit up straighter, wanting to reply, _"Then why did you both bother dressing up?"_

Their observation makes you look back outside to see the driver, focusing on him rather than on the vehicle he's in. His trademark jacket's gone for today, a casual tee replacing it. When he takes off his helmet, you look away, feeling caught. "Friends dress up to go out. It's really nothing big, dear." You take out your phone when you hear it ring again, another message showing through, this time by a different sender. 

_\-- Made it, finally!!_

It's Undyne.

Before you can reply, a few more messages pop up, her typing speed deeming worthy of a challenge. 

_\-- And is that Sans outside??_

_\-- I knew it. ;3c_

You laugh at the sight of her last message, the little face at the end a surprise to see with the stern image you have of her. You associate her use of it with Alphys, her being the one most likely to send messages like those. It's not so far-fetched of a possibility for her to be influencing Undyne in her texting style.

_\-- So THAT'S why._

_\-- If that's the case, take all the time you need, (Y/N)._

_\-- I'll cover for you until the end of your date, so no worries!_

_Who says it's a date?_

_\-- I do._

_\-- You're going over to *his* place, eating dinner made by *him*, and it's just the two of you!_

_\-- What else can it be?_

_A friendly way of getting to know the person responsible for judging people at the Underground._

_Who was also a sentry for Asgore._

_And who's still a stranger to me._

_That's it._

_\-- Geez!_

_\-- You're no fun._

_For now, I don't intend to be._

_Again, thank you for looking after Frisk, but…_

_I still can't overlook what happened down there while I wasn't around for them._

_Looking after my child right now is the only way I can at least apologize to them for what I've done._

_\-- What do you mean?_

_\-- Did something happen??_

_No._

_I just wasn't there for Frisk when they needed me the most._

_So now I can only try to redeem myself by being more strict than I ever was._

_And that includes not taking whatever this hangout thing with Sans is as a date._

_\-- So, what I'm getting at is…_

_\-- You'd *like* it to be a date??_

_Maybe._

_I mean, I haven't dated anyone in around 7 years, so…_

_...Yeah. Maybe._

_\-- >:3c_

_\-- I see._

_Please don't get any ideas, Undyne._

_I really mean it when I say dating's not in my plans._

_\-- Well..._

_\-- I can't promise I won't._

_\-- But I'll try. ;)_

You sigh, lock the phone, and put it back away in your purse. You check yourself in a mirror before leaving and open the door more cautiously than you ever planned to, considering the people waiting outside. Undyne's waiting by the front yard already while Sans is parked by the sidewalk, the former who grins wide at the sight of you.

"Ready to go out?" Undyne asks, grin widening. "Have fun!"

Everything's fine up until you see which car she's gotten down from and who the driver is.

Papyrus. 

Just as you're done adjusting to the idea of having dinner with Sans, doubts over being left alone with him surface.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to medical reasons, I'll most likely be taking a 1 to 2 week-long break starting the 16th of this month! Updates will return to normal after that's over with.
> 
> Stay safe out there!!


	11. 10 - Dead or Alive

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/GobpMgrWL2A)

You keep repeating to yourself this is just a friendly outing, though it's hard to forget with Frisk's knowing looks and Undyne's messages. It's harder still when you get down from the ride and see just how grand the patisserie you've been invited to is. In comparison to a regular bakery or coffee shop, you're met with people clad in semi casual outfits and an ambience similar to that of a five-star restaurant. What reminds you this is just a place for eating desserts is being greeted at the front by a humbler-dressed, white-furred bunny monster labeling himself as the second owner of the establishment, the name 'Roger' spelled out on his name tag. He greets you and Sans in, offering a pamphlet out to you. 

"I remember you," he comments, facing towards Sans with a smile. "You're from Snowdin, aren't you? It's nice to see you've found a date up here!" The excitement in his tone warns he's about to ramble on. "It's so refreshing to see other people like us! Honestly, we… we made this shop hoping more would show up, but you two are the second couple I've had the knowledge of serving here so far!"

"Like us?" you ask, facing the bunnyman. "Is your partner human?" 

"Yes!" he takes your hand, nose twitching with pent up energy. "People always come here talking loud and angry about it, so I always have to be on watch. The first couple that came here got scared off by a rude customer, but now my girlfriend makes sure to keep an eye out!" He lets go, apologizing after. "I get too excited every time I see a human and a monster walk in together, but they always tell me they're just friends! And while I get that, honestly it's... it's such a joy to have you guys here!"

"We're actually not-"

"I get what you mean." In the spur of the moment, you interrupt Sans when he tries to say the truth. The bunnyman's excitement is too bright to rain on, resulting in you wanting to play along. With how he is, you're sure the skeleton's not going to let you live it down, but one look at the hope in the other monster's eyes is enough to make your heart turn to mush. "This is actually our first date, but we're getting there."

He smiles, though it soon fades as he looks at the approaching customers from afar. Then, he looks to the shop, speaking up when he sees the ones who entered in before you have already sat down. "Sorry for holding you back so much," he adds, huffing as an apologetic look makes its way through. "I try really hard not to get too excited about stuff, but again... It's so nice to have you guys here!" He points over to the counter, his smile reappearing. "Go ahead and stop by the counter, alright? You can order to-go. Or just sit down after, if you want to stay!"

"Thank you," you reply, returning his smile. 

You make way into the shop with Sans by your side, avoiding eye contact all the way to the counter. You already know he has a comment on the ready, so it's not much of a surprise when you hear him speak up right before making it there. "So," he says, letting out a chuckle. "First date, huh?" He walks a little closer to your side, trying to get you to look at him, but failing. "Was that meant as a lie, or are you hintin' at somethin' else there, lady?"

"I'm not sure what to think of this myself, but…" You breathe in, not wanting to admit your own wants just yet. "In the end, I only did it 'cause I couldn't bring myself to get his hopes down." A pink-furred bunnywoman takes your order, the reply you'd given Sans by text being worded out by him, along with his own order and Frisk's favorite dessert to-go. While you have your wallet close by, you're not told to pay yet, and are instead led to an empty table, where you're both left to wait. You thank the monster as she leaves, going back to your conversation with Sans as soon as she's gone. "But even if this _was_ a date, I still don't think I'd be able to accept having another one after today's."

At that, his curiosity rises, shown by the subtle flicker in his irises. "What do you mean?"

You brace yourself, avoiding his gaze by toying with the cutlery left on the table. "I need to focus more on raising Frisk before going anywhere with my love life."

"Why?" There's genuine confusion in his question, something he catches onto, using another one to elaborate his meaning better. "So you haven't dated anyone ever since that day?"

You nod, thanking a waiter, this one a brown bear dressed in more formal wear, when he sets two drinks down, one for you and one for your company. "I haven't, and to be honest I'd…" Your chest feels tight as so does your throat, both of these almost trying to distract you away from what you're about to say. "I'd like to keep it that way for as long as it's needed." You try to stop yourself from saying anything else, though the warmth of the shop and Sans's presence give you an entry for letting out what's been kept hidden for as long as that day came around. "I need to be there for Frisk, and I need to be more careful of who I date from now on." You're not sure what else's making you open up so much, though you don't exactly stop yourself from continuing with your thoughts. "You see, I… I really don't want Frisk to grow up in an environment full of constant fights and disagreements." 

As soon as you catch yourself, your brain makes a stop, yet your mouth continues to pour out what's making your heart strain as much as it is currently. "There's already enough of that in the world waiting out there for Frisk when they grow up, so the least I can do is make it a little easier for them right now." Your mind hates you at this point, though you can feel the rest of your body grow lighter, tension releasing itself from it. "That's why… why I didn't really try to stop Jerry when he started to drift away; when visits became just once a month, rather than once a week. We didn't really get along well after my pregnancy to begin with, so that's why… That's why I figured it was best to let him go."

When you hear your voice turn weak, you stop, your mind sending endless comments of disapproval into your thoughts. You flinch when you have a napkin offered out to you, though you take it when you see Sans nod, waiting for you. He pulls back quickly, still avoiding your touch. "What I'm getting at here's that you feel just as responsible as Frisk did over what happened," he comments, taking his drink. "Or at least, that's what it looks like."

Sans stops and looks behind you. The same waiter from before appears next to you, placing your dessert first and later his. Once more, you thank him and wait until he leaves. When he's gone, your companion speaks up again, setting the plate aside to concentrate on you instead. "Don't wanna assume things right off the bat, but…" He pauses, picking up a fork and piercing it through his dish. Then, he faces you, continuing with, "You kinda feel like you've gotta make up for that? Limiting yourself _that_ much ain't really the best option there is, though."

You hum and face away, picking up a portion off your dessert to distract yourself from him. "I just don't trust myself enough to make the right decision again." You take the first bite, the sweet's flavor helping you with the situation. 

The harmony of cutlery clicking and outside chatter blend into the background at the sound of Sans speaking up again. You listen and take another bite off your dessert, stopping when he says, "Y'know, if this helps, most of us think you did a good job raising the kid." He pauses again, bringing the cup closer to him. "If you look at it this way, you helped in letting them make their own choices and decide how to approach monsters at the Underground. In a way, we're all connected one way or the other, kind of like how you start off as their teacher, and then take them to an actual school where they'll continue to grow as a person." He swishes the drink around, peering down at it for a moment. "And even if it's possible for a kid their age to start shaping their own mindset and decide what's good and what's not, most of it's still based off what they've been taught so far. They're not fully in control of who they are yet, and that's why it's often a huge responsibility to take; parenting, teaching, and all that."

He stops again to take a sip from his drink. The view of his skull contorting to allow him a sip was one surprising to watch the first time you saw him and Papyrus eating some of Toriel's vegetable stew, and even more intriguing the time you invited him over for a meal after finishing with your errands at the school supply. Now that you're seeing it for a third time, you focus too much on it, though you brush it off and pay attention to him instead. There were plenty of questions and curiosities present in terms of how skeleton monsters worked the way they did, though you're not exactly sure it would be proper to bring them out so suddenly right now.

"Basically," he continues, setting the drink down. "When you're at that age, you don't have full control over who you are, and that's why it's so important for kids to have good, or at least decent examples for them to follow." He faces you. How direct his gaze feels makes you look away, feeling embarrassment burn your face. "So pretty much based on how Frisk acted during their time at the Underground, I can tell they've been raised well." His gaze drifts off behind you again, though there's a different look to his gaze this time. In contrast to the one he'd given earlier to acknowledge the waiter's arrival, there's caution present in it. "What I'm sayin' here is: you're a good mom, (Y/N), and if you feel like you have to restrain yourself from livin' life, you really shouldn't. You're-"

"Hey, Kevin," a man says, voice coming from behind you. "What did the cow say to the skeleton?" 

His gaze makes sense now, the voice that sounds behind you far too annoying for it not to belong to trouble.

You hear laughter and another voice reply with, "I don't know, Chad. What?"

Chad fakes a swoon and attempts to mimic a feminine voice, saying, "Oh, you're just the _calcium_ to my _milk."_

More laughter.

"Wait, wait," Kevin says, voice now heard from closer by. "I've- I've got a better one." Even more obnoxious laughter follows, a not-so adorable snort heard from Chad. _"Moove_ it, _bonehead!"_

One of the two men emerge next to Sans and attempts to push him off his chair. You step in, grabbing by the arm who you assume's Kevin and keeping him from finishing his joke. He freezes, though he soon fights back, a grin replacing his surprise. "Look, Chad," he calls out. "Cow lady's angry!"

Done too quick for you to react, you feel something cold pour over your chest and look to your left to see Chad with a grin on his face, an empty glass left on his hand. _"Cool_ off," he says, laughing. Before you can process it, something trips his feet, sending his rear to the ground. Both your drink and the skeleton's end up thrown on him, a familiar blue veil surrounding both of the glasses. "Wh- What the hell, man? Who did that?!"

The human owner appears behind him, bringing him into an arm lock. She's just as formally dressed as the bear, a long red dress matching with her lipstick and doing the opposite with the lighter tone of her ginger hair. The name Jessica's spelled on her name tag. "Sounds to me like _you're_ the one who needs to do that first," she says, pulling him to his feet. Her teeth are clenched and a frown shapes her mouth, displaying her anger. "Tell your friend he needs to follow me if he doesn't want the same treatment." She takes both men with her, leaving you alone with Sans and an audience too big for your liking. 

The brown bear makes his appearance again. A mess of apologies exit his mouth as he rushes over with two new drinks and a towel hung over his shoulder. Sans helps him by taking the latter and approaching your side.

"You okay?" he asks. Carefully, he sets the towel over you, hands moving stiff and awkward when he tries to wrap it around your torso. You bite back a smile at that, his current reticence helping you forget about Chad and Kevin's idiocy. Even with how daring he was while flirting, he was inevitably trying his best not to cross unwanted lines with you. "Was it hot?"

_Stop._

That word repeats itself in your mind as you use the towel to bring him closer to you, his hands still holding onto it. You take them, let him hold your waist, and allow your smile to shine through, heart pounding all the while. "No," you reply, grinning. "But you worrying about me kinda is." You kiss his cheekbone, murmuring a 'thank you, Sans' close to his ear cavity.

The crowd goes wild, whistles and woots being let out as you keep your lips there for a moment, right until you feel his skull turn hot to the touch. When you pull back, his irises are jumpy and bright, trying their best to look away from you. He lets go of the towel and steps back, sitting back down on his chair while the crowd settles over.

"Uh..." he says, short of breath. "No problem, (Y/N)."


	12. 10.5 - Dead or Alive (A Different Perspective)

~~_Ask and you shall receive._ ~~

~~_Also, 'small pov' somehow ended up with me writing well over 2k words, essentially making another chapter on its own._ ~~

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/LrlKqtyfmP4)

"This is actually our first date, but we're getting there."

His soul almost stops at that sentence, yet he tries not to let it show. Based on how charmed (Y/N) was around monsters who weren't heavily involved with the intentions of the Royal Guard, he assumes she's lying for the sake of not letting the bunnyman down. He observes and listens to their exchange by the side, only intervening when he's escorted with her into the patisserie.

Before arriving at the counter, he brings up that sentence and the meaning behind it. He has some confidence as to what her reply will be, but when she actually speaks up, it only complicates his thoughts and the pace of his soul. "I'm not sure what to think of this myself, but… In the end, I only did it 'cause I couldn't bring myself to get his hopes down."

He'd hit the nail in the head.

_But what was the reason behind her doubts?_

_Did she feel forced to go out with him, simply for having gotten to know Frisk during their journey?_

It didn't feel that way, yet he didn't exactly know her well enough to be one-hundred percent sure about those assumptions. For all he knew, she could be pretending and trying to get along with him just for the sake of Frisk's happiness and the rest of their monster friends. It wasn't safe to cross out that possibility just yet.

A bunnywoman arrives and he words out his orders, saying (Y/N)'s, then his, and finally Frisk's to-go. He can see her wallet poke out from her purse, though she holds it back when he's directed with her to a table, no upfront payment needed. "But even if this _was_ a date, I still don't think I'd be able to accept having another one after today's," she adds, sitting down and facing her lap.

At that, his curiosity rises, and he can't help asking her for a little more detail. "What do you mean?"

She fidgets before answering. "I need to focus more on raising Frisk before going anywhere with my love life."

"Why?" He wants to disappear with how abrupt, rude, and plain nosy that question comes out. Knowing he's already screwed up and not wanting to ruin things by making her angry, he hurries to elaborate his question better, saying, "So you haven't dated anyone ever since that day?" He breathes out as subtly as possible, relieved to see her nod. 

A brown bear appears, referring to himself as the waiter in charge of the table for today. He's in formal wear, something the human seems to be charmed by, a similar look to when she didn't want to disappoint the bunnyman showing itself on her face. She continues when the bear leaves, her words once more catching the skeleton off guard. "I haven't, and to be honest I'd…" She keeps quiet for a while, making his doubts return. He's worried he's asking questions far too personal for her to be in any way comfortable with him, but she doesn't stop on her answers. "I'd like to keep it that way for as long as it's needed. I need to be there for Frisk, and I need to be more careful of who I date from now on." She sounds more at ease the further she talks, helping calm some of his tension down. "You see, I… I really don't want Frisk to grow up in an environment full of constant fights and disagreements." 

That seems to be the final drop in the bucket for her to expose her heart out to him. Words practically flow out of her mouth as she continues to explain the reasons behind her self-imposed limitations. She tells him of Jerry and her relationship with him post-pregnancy, of those seven years without dating anyone, and over the responsibility she felt was on her shoulders ever since Jerry stopped acting as a father for Frisk. He's irked with everything she says, specially the last part, but again, he tries not to let his emotions show too much, wanting to listen to her instead. 

As she speaks, Sans wonders whether it's okay to continue being friends with Jerry, now knowing him in a different light. The guy was fun to be around with, and he was truthfully the one who'd given him a push to make a move on her, but he couldn't bring himself to meet up with him again without wanting to use the same sense of judgment he specialized in down at the Underground. He was strict and stern when it came to the consequences of others' actions just as he was when it came to judging himself for his own choices in both past and present times.

_If protection existed and Jerry was well-aware he wasn't ready to be a father, then why did he still get her pregnant?_

_Had it been an accident, or was there more to it?_

A piece of information slips by, though (Y/N) doesn't seem to catch onto it. After the words 'I let him go', follow: "I was, well… I was diagnosed as infertile before we got married, and he convinced me to do it without protection when the day came around, so it's… It's primarily my fault all this happened, either way."

Based on how little she reacts after that confession, it's clear she hasn't noticed she's let that information slip past, so he chooses not to bring it up. To make up for it, Sans intervenes when he notices she's too caught up in wanting to make things right all in one day. He steps in with his own view on the subject so far, saying, "Don't wanna assume things right off the bat, but…" He pauses, picking up a fork and piercing it through his dish. Then, he faces her, continuing with, "You kinda feel like you've gotta make up for that? Limiting yourself _that_ much ain't really the best option, though."

(Y/N) faces away, picking up a portion of her dessert along the way. With how calm she looks right now, he wonders how she would react had he chosen to bring up the fact she'd just confessed something far-too personal in the midst of her being honest with him. "I just don't trust myself enough to make the right decision again." She takes a bite, her lipstick staining the cutlery. He tries to look away at that sight, not wanting to make himself come off as an indecent person by staring there for too long. While she was dressed and dolled up far more strikingly compared to previous times, that's no excuse for him to stare, and even less at her face. She was here wearing her heart out on her sleeve for him. Taking advantage of that with any sort of flirting or advancements simply didn't feel right presently.

Sans offers his point-of-view, only to be interrupted by what he fears is trouble lurking right behind (Y/N)'s back. There's two human men standing close by, pointing at her waist and muttering comments about how 'chunky' she was and how small the 'Nightmare Before Christmas prop' sitting with her was. He waits, keeping an eye socket out for them as he continues on, only to be interrupted by a loud comment from one of the two not long after.

"Hey, Kevin," the burliest one of the two says, voice irritatingly loud. "What did the cow say to the skeleton?" 

Laughter follows and the lankier one replies with, "I don't know, Chad. What?"

Chad fakes a swoon and attempts to mimic a feminine voice, saying, "Oh, you're just the _calcium_ to my _milk."_

They laugh.

"Wait, wait," Kevin says, voice now heard from closer by. "I've- I've got a better one." More laughter follows, along with a snort, intentionally uncouth. _"Moove_ it, _bonehead!"_

Just as the skeleton expects to be pushed off his chair, his company intervenes by standing up and approaching the man about to send him to the ground. Her stance is firm and her gaze is pissed, the light in her eyes far different from when she snapped at his own flirting. She grabs the man by the arm, but it doesn't take much for him to retaliate and seek out help from his partner-in-crime. Far-too soon, a splash is heard and the skeleton sees (Y/N)'s shirt drenched, an empty glass being held by one of the two men still standing nearby. 

Now his turn to act, Sans takes advantage of free Karma and tosses both his drink and hers at the man responsible for throwing one at her. The rest is a blur as he pays more attention to (Y/N) and her condition. Only the comments Kevin and Chad made about her and the sound of a drink being thrown at her keep themselves in his mind, occupying the rest of his thoughts. He takes a towel and wraps it around her torso, being extra cautious not to brush his hands anywhere improper, something better said than done with his current situation. She's soaked from neck to waist, the subtle warmth emerging from her body making him further concerned by assuming the drink was still fresh. 

"Was it hot?"

With that question, he receives yet another surprise, both in words and the bold look he gives her along with it. "No," he hears her say, grinning bright and wide as a subtle, flirty curve shows on her smile. "But you worrying about me kinda is."

His soul lurches at the feeling of her lips on his cheekbone. It's a sensation far too soft for him to have ever been prepared for it, and it's made a lot more intense when she drags the kiss all the way to his ear cavity, lips brushing against his face as she whispers him a 'thank you'. His hands are firm on her waist as the crowd cheers on. It's only when he backs away and lets go of the towel that he can escape from the situation, plopping back down on his chair to recover from it. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


With the remnants of the earlier incident, it’s a different experience giving her a ride to his home. He’s now overly alert of everything around him, from her hands around his waist to the rumbling of other engines near him. Thankfully, a cloudy sky, strong winds, and a light drizzle aid as a distraction. He dodges busy streets by taking detours wherever possible; he focuses on one thing only, and that’s getting there before the rain pours down any harder. While the helmet shields most of it away, the roar of the clouds above alerts him and seemingly the one holding onto him, based on how she presses closer and asks if he’s okay.

“Wouldn’t it be better to stop?” she suggests, voice muffled from too many things at once. There’s the rain picking up, other vehicles zooming past, and the warning of future thunder from the clouds. Add in the helmets, and it’s a necessity for him to take a turn and park by the emergency lane.

The stillness of his surroundings helps provide a better look at the options around him. Four were available, the last of them the most risky. It was either turn left and stop at a gas station, turn right and stop at an inn, go back and stop at the nearest shopping district available, or continue forward without any proper sense of direction. 

Just as he’s imagining there’s no way (Y/N) could be any bolder than she had been with her kiss, she says, “Let’s stop by the inn.” Her smile quells any hidden meanings. Her tone, on the other hand, has plenty left to be said. “It’s the closest option there is, and judging by the situation up there, it’s the best one, too.”

_Right._

He breathes in, scolding himself for letting his imagination run too far.

_Of course, it was his fear of thunder she was referring to!_

_What else could it have been?_

“Alright,” he says, giving in with a huff. “You sure you’re okay with that?”

“Yeah,” she replies, shrugging. “It's getting darker, and the weather’s not too good. I’ll just call Undyne and let her know we'll be returning a little later than expected."

The monster finally grins at that, propping the motorcycle back into shape. “You’re being awfully chill about this whole thing, lady.” He jolts when her hands find their place around him once more, settled down when he hears her laugh, airiness present in her tone. She rests her head closer to his shoulder, her helmet bumping with his. “Gettin’ real comfy around me, too.”

She pulls back, a frown heard in her question, “Would you like me to stop?”

He shakes his head, bringing her closer at a red light. “Not at all.”

Her laughter sounds again, more cheerful and light. Had he no context of where she’d been before the ride, he would’ve assumed she'd taken a drink too many. To see her relax and play along was about as rare as a day not passing by without the sudden awfulness of the weather. It’s been worsening, yet he can’t quite determine why exactly. There were plenty of factors contributing to it, one of the most common being the current season, and the most uncommon somehow related to the accusations monsters received about the bad weather being all their fault.

Flashing, neon lights greet the skeleton when he parks close to the inn, right below a tent made specifically for keeping customers' vehicles out of the bad weather. _‘Open 24/7. Vacant. Family Friendly. Monster Friendly. Absolutely NO pest problem. Suspicious wall stains are actually retro wallpaper patterns, not blood,'_ and a bunch more other things blare at him in bright lettering. There’s tiny wording at the bottom of the word _‘Inn’,_ reading: _‘formerly a criminal hideout’, in parentheses._

Sans expects all but more laughter from (Y/N)’s mouth. When he looks towards her, he sees she’s already taken her helmet off, revealing teary eyes and a smile. “What's next?” she asks, giggling. “Bet now the hotel guy'll say: _‘Sorry, we’ve only got one room left_ ’.” She takes him by the arm and leads him in as soon as the rain pours completely, her laughter drowning out as thunder clashes from nearby. “C’mon,” she calls out, tugging him in. “You’ll get sick!” The door jingles as he passes through with her by his side, revealing a lobby far more decent than the outside lets in. “See that? It’s gonna be fine!"

He doesn't say anything and instead lets himself be tugged along. If he'd annoyed her too much with his flirting and this was the world's way of punishing him for it, he accepted it despite what that was doing to his soul. He accompanies her to the check-in counter, where an even worse problem waits at.

"Welcome!" Mettaton calls out, greeting both him and the woman next to him with a smile. Funky music plays on the radio, matching almost eerily with his gaze and the purpose behind his smile. "Room for two, I assume?" He takes out a log book, a calculative frown showing on his face as he taps his chin with the pen, a smile returning when he looks up. "Either way, I'm afraid that's all we have right now."

His companion snorts, though she covers it up when he tries to get a better look at her, seeing a smile still on. "Told you so," she says, jabbing his waist. She then turns over to the robot, seriousness falling on her face. "We'd like to book it for a night, please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you guys in 1 to 2 week(s)! As mentioned on a previous note, updates will return to normal after the break.
> 
> Take care!!


	13. 11 - Two bros, chilling in a hot tub

[BGM](https://youtu.be/gQD8y007dK4)

As the storm worsens, so does him. He's shaking from head to toe, but when you ask him about it, he says it's fine. An hour's passed since you booked the room, all the banter and light-hearted nature from before having faded away since more than an hour ago. A loud and flashy one strikes, sending electrical appliances nearby into an on and off frenzy. You look towards the skeleton sitting farther away from you and notice how his grip on a pillow strengthens, his fear being let out through it. 

The view makes you think back on last time and how you'd dealt with the situation, considering it again. You sit next to him in bed, stretching your arms out when he looks at you. It's as if he's stumbled upon an alien, with his irises looking you up and down in the most confused way possible. "C'mere," you offer, patting at your lap. "Take it as a thank you for everything you've done so far." You scoot closer to him, only backing away when you see him taut up and a bead of sweat make its way down his forehead. "I mean it."

Sans doesn't have a choice with how violent the next one is. He's practically sent into your lap as the lights go out; his grip on you turns almost painful, the hardness of his touch sinking into your skin. The monster's face ends up pressed close to your chest while his hands go back down to your waist; his shaking's prominent, even with how strong he holds onto you. The lights go back on, allegedly due to a power plant with how much weaker they glow. A murmur leaves his teeth, none of the words capable of being deciphered with how wild the weather outside is. "What did you say?" you ask, bringing him closer. "I couldn't hear you." You shift your positions so that you can lay your head against the headboard and cuddle up to him more. 

His chest heaves subtly as another one strikes. "What made you do this?" He breathes out, loosening his grip on you. "For us to end up like this, I mean."

"Are you sure you're okay to talk about that right now?" you ask, wrapping an arm around his waist. "You're shaking, Sans, and I already know why, so it's no big deal." You stop to look at him through the mirror set before the bed, his face still hidden from your view. "We can talk about it later, if you want."

You expect disagreement, only to receive it partially. Sans moves away from your hold and sits up straight on the bed. Then, he looks down at you, your current position making it awkward. He seems to notice that himself, having to look away to lessen that feeling. "So, uh… Thanks, (Y/N)," he says, facing elsewhere. "But you don't need to do that. If you feel like all this stuff is your responsibility, then I don't think it's okay for me to approach you like this." He flinches when another one strikes, yet he manages to recover quicker than before. "You don't have to force yourself into makin' this feel like a date, 'cause I'm not askin' that of you."

You sit up and move behind him, holding his shoulders. "And I'm not trying to make this a date, Sans," you reply. "I'm just trying to help you with what's happening right now." You hold his waist, freezing when you feel him shudder under your touch. "Though I won't deny that I, well…" Your throat feels dry and your face turns hot, hands doing the opposite. "That it's been too long since I've felt this way." Your eyes close with the next crash, how loud it is making even you seek some comfort from the embrace. "It feels nice to be liked, and to… to actually live life a little more. Today, I… I felt so alive. Even with those guys calling me names, I had fun."

With the latest thunder appearing to have been the last, Sans again shimmies out of your hold and turns to you. He meets with your gaze and a hand places itself over yours. Then, he scoots closer, his hand tugging for you to go lower while he goes higher.

Your lips brush with his teeth, and you close your eyes while he does the same with his sockets. It ends far too quickly, yet it's enough for you to be fulfilled, just as much as he looks to be when you pull back, open your eyes, and see him grinning. A brighter light's present in his irises, and judging by how he looks at you, you can already tell you've given him more than enough of a reason for him to tease you over this in the future. "So I take it the first date was a success?"

You return his expression with a smile, letting his hand go as you fix your posture, smug. "I thought you said you didn't want to make this a date?"

He winks and takes a hand to your cheek, brushing a thumb against your lips. "Only if you want it to be." A pause follows and a subtle, amused flare leaves his nose cavity. "How about it?"

Smile growing, you take his wrist, replying with, "I'd like that." Then, a frown returns, concern showing through the furrow in your brow. "But… What about after? I… I really don't think I'm ready to date anyone seriously yet."

The monster pulls his hand back, facing your eyes again. "Easy," he says, chuckling. "We'll just keep doing things like normal, pretendin' today didn't happen. He shifts on his seat; a more stoic look crosses his gaze. "We'll give each other some time. And if ya don't return my feelings by then, I'll stop, and we can keep the memories we've made 'til now."

"Now that..." Tugging him in for a quick hug, you laugh and kiss his cheekbone after it, pulling back with a smile. "That sounds _way_ too gentlemanly to be real. But I like it."

* * *

It's close to midnight by the time you're done eating, showering, and settling matters with Undyne. Taking your phone, you reread your last conversation with her. Embarrassment overcomes your thoughts, the reminder of how she'd caught you and Sans last time on the couch heightening that feeling.

_Told you it was a date!_

_Papyrus actually looked after Frisk most of the time today, so I can look after them 'til tomorrow morning._

_But is it really okay with you?_

_'Course it is!_

_Didn't I tell you to take as long as you need?_

_Take your time. ;-)_

_Thank you._

_But could you please keep the whole date thing a secret?_

_I don't want Frisk to know I'm thinking about dating anyone else again._

_Sure._

_Dunno why you insist so much on that, but I get it._

A new message pops up. While reading, you open the door of your room and exit, ready to go off and explore more of the hotel. Though it's late, you don't want to miss out on the opportunity of extending the date for a little longer, even more now that the monster invited you to the pool area. You can hear water running even as you close the door and begin walking off, reminding you he's still showering. 

_Jerry came over asking where you were, btw._

The latest message Undyne sends you prompts you to keep on walking, now too anxious to wait and stay in one place. You rush off, not wanting to dwell too much over it. It's a short walk to get there, only having to pass by a hallway, the lobby, and take a turn to the right. A different world's introduced to you as soon as you step in, welcomed by a large swimming pool from afar at the center of it all and two smaller hot tubs closer by. There's folding chairs and their respective tables on the left along with a bar at the right, ‘Happy Hour’ flashing above the entrance. All the attractions are occupied with people, each doing their own thing.

_Really?_

_What did you tell him?_

Your chest tightens as you wait for an answer. A cold wind blows by, making you shudder and sniffle with the current outfit you're wearing: a one-piece swimsuit bought hastily at the small but promising souvenir shop the hotel offered for everyone around. You stay in place, still waiting for her reply.

_Told him you were running errands, but he still told me to give you this when you returned._

Her next message is a picture of a gift basket with all sorts of favorites, from sweets to flowers, and even makeup you tended to use often. A letter's tucked between all the items and a bright red ribbon tops it all off.

_He also gave Frisk something and then tried convincing them into going with him to the beach._

Your stomach twists and a sour note reaches your taste buds. Jerry's first attempt at getting back together had clearly been without him knowing Sans was hitting on you, so you're not sure whether he's making stronger efforts now that he's aware of it. Your legs grow weak the more you force yourself to keep on standing, now too anxious to move.

_What did Frisk say?_

_They said they'd only go if you came with them, so now I think Jerry might be making arrangements for the two of you to come._

"Your phone's gonna get damaged here."

At the sound of someone behind you, you jolt and your phone slips off your hands. Thankfully, it's stopped by a blue force, and so's your waist when you slip and almost trip on your own feet. You're let go and turned around to see Sans changed into an outfit composed of beach shorts and a tank top. They're a little baggy on the sides, revealing the fact he's also bought them at the souvenir shop. "You okay?" he asks, furrowing his gaze.

You take your phone back and put it away, nodding before replying with, "...I think so."

Side-by-side, you walk with him to a pair of folding chairs. There, you sit, take off your towel, and set it aside. "Jerry's still trying to get back with me, I think." A smile forms when you see the monster's gaze look away, avoiding to meet with your swimsuit more than with your eyes or anywhere else. "You can look, y'know. Or are you getting shy?"

Sans takes the towel off his shoulders and sets it next to yours. Then, he shakes his head once, still avoiding you. "Just bein' cautious." Finally, he faces you, a grin showing on his skull. "Still haven't forgot how stern you can be, so I've gotten used to bein' careful around you."

"Really?" you taunt, snickering. You stand up, beginning your walk with him to the pool. "I was thinking the opposite with how shameless your flirting's been since day one."

"There's a difference, lady." He sits on the edge, irises drifting off to the hot tubs, where a buff bunnyman and an even buffer fishperson sit at. They're both hugging each other, the former resting his head on the other's chest, eyes closed and body relaxed. "My intention's not to insult you or make you angry."

Your smile grows, the vibrancy of your surroundings bringing you courage to challenge him again. "What _are_ your intentions then, Sans? I'm curious."

You slip a foot into the water and a shiver follows. While you wait for it to warm, you pay attention to him, expectant of an answer. Oddly enough, he doesn't confront your question and chooses to sink himself completely in the pool, no wait needed. His irises avoid you, up until a few swimmers nearby move further away from your spot. "I guess I've just never really done somethin' like this before, and my bro suggested I made some new friends, so when I saw you, I kinda just went for it."

"So flirting's your way of making friends?"

Again, you're brought with a reaction far different from your expectations. He looks down at the water and rubs the back of his neck, a laugh, nervous and quiet, leaving his teeth. "The way you confronted me back when we first met," he begins, facing you, "it kinda took me off guard, so I went with the first thing I had in mind to try and ease out the mood."

A human toddler dives into the water, the splash that accompanies it almost reaching you despite his tiny self. That's enough to distract you and smile, though you look back to see the monster's done the same. It's without a doubt he's trying not to confess his thoughts, so you give him space to back off if he wants to. "I…" He looks back to you, continuing with, "I was surprised to see you come up to me like that, pointing out faults I was aware we had, all without hesitation. So I guess you could call that falling at first sight. You called me out on my mistakes and accepted yours without me even having the chance to say anything about it. You came over apologizing for letting Frisk slip from your care, but then you also didn't tolerate when you found out the implications behind my kinds' freedom."

You dip the rest of your body in the water and sit beside him. "So you fell for me right from the start?" you joke, nudging him. "I find that hard to believe."

He chuckles, leaning in closer. "Guess it was kinda more of an admiration I had for you at the beginning."

You do the same, sparing a glance at others nearby to make sure they aren't looking. "I also recall you saying my stubbornness was hot?"

He nods, giving into another kiss, one far more fleeting than the one shared at your bedroom. "Very."

The two of you back away as quickly as that kiss lasts, avoiding PDA at all costs, not only for the younger ones around, but for the current state of your relationship, and what that implies. You'd already crossed plenty of the lines and limits you'd set for yourself in terms of dating. Even the simple act of having accepted his invitation's enough to pass them. "I'm… I'm sorry I can't make this a serious thing," you say, looking away. "Maybe you said it was okay to have only one date, but I... I guess it doesn't exactly feel right for me to lead you on like this."

The monster pulls you against him, giving you a hug from behind. "See what I mean, lady?" He's the one teasing you now, hands tickling your waist with how careful his movements are. "You're doin' it again."

In an urgent need to defend yourself, you take Sans's hands, push him away, and bring him down into the water, concluding the feat with a laugh. Proud, you turn around, expecting to see him drenched and unamused, though what you receive's payback for your actions. His magic grabs your wrist, pulling you in with him. In defense, you close your eyes tight, the feeling of sinking interrupted by you bumping into him. 

He helps you stay afloat, though you're unable to see him, water clouding your vision. _"Karma,"_ he reminds you, chuckling as you both make it out of the pool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back from my break!
> 
> Updates should continue as usual from here on. :-)


	14. 12 - Darmstadtium, Protactinium, Chlorine, Thorium, Oxygen

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/hZzWtVPMGEM)

Sun pours through windows with half-open curtains, waking you up. The emptiness of a bed too large for one person hits you, making you feel around with half-lidded eyes, still too groggy to fully assess the state of your surroundings. You stand up and stretch, allowing yourself some time before you adjust to the changes. Faint snores from a corner of the room makes your head snap towards the noise. There, you see Sans draped over a couch, with a towel being used as a makeshift blanket. Even with the uncomfortable posture he seems to hold and the general hardness of the couch, he's out like a light, chest rising and falling in a consistently slow motion.

If you remembered correctly, you'd made space for him in bed, too used to having cousins, close friends, and even Frisk come up to your bed for you to feel awkward about sleeping with someone on the same space. The first two were usually whenever large family gatherings took place, whereas Frisk climbed in whenever they had a bad dream. Having someone beside you wasn't uncommon; if they needed somewhere to stay, you would provide them with it, yet you'd forgotten to ask Sans yesterday night if he felt the same way. Him sleeping on the couch reveals he doesn't.

You gather up strength, approach him as carefully as you can manage, and bring your arms around his waist, picking him up newborn style. Bridal was too risky in terms of having him wake up, and so was straight up nudging him awake just to tell him he could move over to the bed. You place him there and drag the sheets over him, smiling when you see he's still sleeping. When you stare at his face for a little too long, you remind yourself of yesterday night and the kiss you'd both shared.

_'What happened to you yesterday?', 'Were you drunk?'_ , and _'Why did you kiss him?'_ are just a few of the many questions you could (judgingly) ask to yourself in front of the bathroom mirror.

Sure, you'd only ever dated one other person before you ended up with Jerry, only to then end up pregnant first try, and then have little to no interaction with him or anybody else for the next seven years, but that couldn't've been enough to have brought the impulse for you to date a complete stranger… Right?

You weren't desperate!

As you continue chastising your reflection in the bathroom mirror, you hear a knock on the door, halting your judgement. "You there?"

You want to disappear, and maybe time travel to change things up a bit.

"Uh," you say, words about as flowing as a carefully recited poem. "Yeah."

"...You doing okay?"

"I think so."

Such a blissful time had to have its consequences. Maybe then you were too over-the-moon to care, but now that you consider the fact you'd actually kissed him and stayed a night with him at a shady hotel makes this an experience you would rather forget. "Did you think I left without you?" you ask, stepping into the shower. You don't undress yet, anticipating an answer.

"I might've," he replies, chuckling. "Yesterday was really somethin' else."

"That's an understatement."

You take off your clothes and turn on the shower, standing there for a while. Your attention focuses on the lowermost part of your abdomen, seeing a bit of pudginess at the sides, or 'love handles', as the skeleton called it. "...Did I really wear a swimsuit yesterday?" you ask, still in denial.

Sans's voice turns faint with the sound of the water running, though you can still hear when he replies with, "A one-piece, yeah. It, uh, looked good on you, though."

The conversation ends as you huff and continue showering. While you do, distant sounds of someone else present in the room brings back memories from when you used to live with more than one other person aside from Frisk. It's strange to hear noises outside of your own and their's. You finish up with that thought still on your mind, remaining until you take a towel and cover yourself with it. Approaching a basket with yesterday's clothes now clean and dry's the next thing to play with your mind, again used to being a family of two after seven whole years carrying on with the same routine. You dismiss those thoughts and remind yourself it's no time to be daydreaming. 

You barely knew the person you're sharing a room with, and the history behind him and all the other monsters you knew was still something you couldn't let go. Even if you'd been the one to end up Underground, you couldn't imagine yourself sacrificing your own life, not for the fact that you didn't want to save them, but mainly for those you had to look after. If you'd fallen in place of Frisk, who was to say you would've been capable of finding a different solution like they had? And if you'd chosen to give up your soul for the sake of a whole race, then what would've become of Frisk's future? The reminder they'd managed to come out alive while still fulfilling that goal makes you wonder if life's possible to do without hurting others in the process, and if one day better, more wholly peace could be achieved.

There's a theory for that, and while you try to search your mind for the name, it's difficult to properly distinguish what's the answer you're looking for. One thing's for certain though, and that's the reminder that, even if a person were to isolate themselves completely from the world, they would still have their impact in it, be it one way or the other. Complete removal from affecting the world would involve their passing, and even then there would still remain the effects of that person's absence, be it negative or positive.

"Did you enjoy your stay?"

Your existential crisis ends at the sound of Mettaton's voice coming from outside the bathroom. You take your clothes, put them on, and take a step away from the door, still listening in on the conversation with how thin the walls are. You wear everything except your old shirt, this one still stained even after having thrown it to wash in the hotel's laundromat. To make up for it, there's a plain white t-shirt at your disposal, not quite matching with the rest of your outfit, but sufficient to make do while you made it back home.

"It was nice," Sans replies, words cut short. His tone reveals he's far from wanting to have a talk with the robot, yet the latter persists. 

""I'm surprised you hit it off so quick," Mettaton says, a faint chuckle being heard. "It hasn't been a year since we left the Underground, and yet you already have a girlfriend! You're honestly the person I least expected this from." 

The conversation's muffled out as Sans chooses to talk quieter. Mettaton, on the other hand, doesn't follow with his choices. "What do you mean you two aren't dating? I saw you kiss!"

The skeleton continues to keep his voice at a low level, yet once more, the robot fails to follow up with him. "But that's _boring!"_ You can almost hear him pout, his voice sounding more annoyed than you could possibly imagine anyone to feel about a topic like this one. "And here I thought you had something worth teasing you for! Talk about disappointing."

You wait until the two stop talking to exit the bathroom, Mettaton already gone by the time you step out. Sans sits by the edge of the bed and stands up when he sees you arrive. Awkward silence stays as you both look at each other for a moment, broken when you ask, "So you told him?"

He nods, picking up his towel when you signal for him to use the bathroom. "I did," he says, walking off. He stands beside the door, continuing with, "He's not too good at keeping stuff secret, but he promised not to talk about it in front of Frisk." The door opens and the lingering steam of the bathroom contrasts with the cold of the bedroom. The latter wins quickly; the air conditioner still being on helps with that. You watch the monster enter and observe his posture, looking about as tense as you feel right now. "Your phone was ringin' while you were showerin', by the way." With that, he closes the door, leaving you to check on what he'd said. 

You approach the dresser and pick up your phone; your home's number is the only missed call. The person on the other line responds lightning fast, barely giving it a chance to ring more than once. "Are you okay, mom?" Frisk's voice says, words rushed. The phone wavers in your hold. They sound too frightened for someone who'd adventured alone Underground, yet what they say next brings you back into calm, "There was a bad storm yesterday, so I got worried." They stop, sniffling before they continue on. "Undyne said you were okay and that you stayed at Sans's place, but… but I still missed you." You can hear them breathe in and then out, huffing again. "And then dad came around after the storm calmed down, but when he saw you weren't home, he talked about how you were being irresponsible again. But then he left a gift for you, and now I'm confused. Does he still like you, mom?"

"One thing at a time, honey," you intervene, laughing when you sense Frisk plans to continue on rambling. "I'm fine, and I'm still at his place." You let out a breath and place a hand to your forehead, rubbing your temples before keeping up with their rant. "And I'm not sure what Jerry's thinking, but this's not really the place for us to be talking about that right now." Your eyes wander over to the alarm clock set by the nightstand, eight thirty in the morning flashing on the screen. "More importantly, did you have breakfast? I should be back home in an hour."

"I did! Undyne watched over me while I made something."

_"That_ scared of her cooking?"

"She burned her house last time!"

You sit down on the couch once setting the pillows aside. Your cheeks hurt from smiling and the awkwardness of your situation feels less daunting the more you talk with Frisk. "What did you make?" you ask, propping a leg over the other. You lay back and close your eyes, comfort being achieved.

"I made pancakes! I'll make some for you when you get here."

At the sound of the bathroom door opening, you open your eyes and look there. Then, you carry on with your conversation, the monster yet to appear. "Thank you, dear. Did you teach her while she looked over you, by any chance?" Your posture on the couch straightens when you see Sans step out, tension returning.

"I did," they reply, giggling. "She said she's gonna make some for Alphys next time they have a sleepover together."

With a few more questions and answers, the conversation reaches an end. You say your farewells and hang the call, standing up when you see Sans has disappeared. You look around the area from corner to corner and make it to the bathroom when you notice he's nowhere to be seen. The door's left open, though just as you're about to delve any further inside, you see someone emerge from behind the shower curtains. Your eyes close on instinct and you turn around, ready to apologize, up until you hear him chuckle and say you can look. "I'm just washing somethin'," he adds, staying in place. When you face him, he hands you your shirt, a bit dampened. The stain's fainter than when you took it to the wash, revealing the monster's whereabouts. "I tried cleanin' it off with some shampoo and soap, but it didn't really work."

When you take it back, only one question rests in your mind, and that's, "Was this unintentional, or are you trying to gain another date?" You bite back a smile, in wait for his reaction.

You fail in an instant, allowing him to grin and reply with, "Whatever you want it to be." He winks. "Either way, I think I still owe you dinner at my place." 

You walk with him out of the bathroom and step into the cold. The reminder you have to be back in an hour hits you, urging you to check the time and pocket through your purse for your wallet. From there, you take out an envelope and hand it to him. "I have to go now, but here's this." Again, you shuffle through your bag's contents, retrieving a note with your home's phone number scribbled on it. "And here's my house number." Quickly, you lean down and kiss his cheekbone, made similar to last time. "Thank you for the date, Sans. I had fun." When you pull back, he's a little less tense, yet you can still catch onto a subtle mark of embarrassment on his face. "I'll take the bus. But call me if anything happens, alright? Cars can get damaged with the weather."

Slowly, he nods, saying, "Alright. See you later, (Y/N)."

"See you later."


	15. Second Announcement + Extras

****

**Hello again!**

**First off: Updates will be moved over to Sundays starting tomorrow! I'm making changes in schedule due to my health, so if you're reading any of my other fanfics, this's a heads-up to let you know I'll be doing the same thing with the rest.**

**Now, moving on to the title:**

**Due to the first comment shown above, I've been working on making chapter 1 of this story a bit more thorough. The second comment helped me decide as to whether I should make a survey for this or not, so I'll be sharing it with you down below.**

**But first, here's an additional 1k word scene I wrote for chapter 1, in order to make it less confusing. My idea's to merge it with the rest of the chapter!**

**Here it is:**

The wind's strong enough to topple anyone over, yet you stand your ground, eager to set things straight with the monsters. A skeleton stands before you, the look in his irises far more revealing of knowledge and insight compared to his easygoing demeanour or the goofy contrast his grin gives off. He knows what you're here for, either due to the stern look persisting on your face, or seeing that you're demanding an explanation from him. You're impatient, barely giving him an opportunity to introduce himself properly, and even less wait until you both made your way out of the mountains. "If you're meant to be a figure of justice and judgment for the Underground, then how could you still allow Frisk to go off on a journey like this one?" you ask, crossing your arms tight. "I refuse to let you and your kind continue being a part of Frisk's life, unless I start getting some explanations from you and everyone else about this."

The skeleton rubs the back of his skull. He faces the ground for a moment, replying with, "I'd gladly answer all your questions, lady. But first, we should get outta here." He meets with your gaze, reluctance present in his own. Either you've intimidated him with your fury, or he's against explaining what happened at the Underground while your child adventured it. "The top of a mountain ain't really the best place for us to talk. We can discuss this better somewhere else."

Giving in, you uncross your arms and place your hands on your hips. You're not quite in favor of being anywhere else with the monster, though you don't want to decline an opportunity for getting to understand the situation a little more thoroughly. "As long as it's somewhere busy, then sure," you say, lips frowning and pouted. "I don't trust you enough to be anywhere alone together with you."

He chuckles and stuffs his hands in his pockets, posture far too relaxed for the situation he's in. "That's understandable, lady. Though I'm afraid the Underground's a lil' empty right now. Everyone's out there enjoyin' the outdoors, but I can give you a quick tour of the place while I explain everything." He offers out a hand out to you, one you reject by crossing your arms again.

"Alright," you say, huffing. It's difficult deciding whether to trust his intentions or not, that alone obliging you to take awhile to say anything else. "Where to? I'd like to see the places Frisk went through while I wasn't around for them." A pang hits your chest when you say that, mind and heart both equally guilting themselves over having let Frisk slip away from your watch. They could've been killed during their journey Underground, and you would've been to blame. Not only did your child lack in having an attentive father, yet they also had you: an irresponsible mother; all according to your own judgement, at least. "I failed them as their mother by letting them run this far," you add, biting back a frown. "So now I need to keep a more careful watch over them. And that includes understanding what all this means and what your kind did to them, even if things turned out okay in the end."

"So you're sayin' this's all your fault? 'Cuz from what the kid told me about you, I honestly doubt it," the monster says, his grin widening. "Where's the other parent? Whoever they are, they should be equally responsible with what happened here."

"That's…" You look away, question hitting at a weak spot. "That's... something I can't answer right now." Your words are sharp, allowing no space for him to nudge at a more sincere reply. Regardless of who the skeleton was and why he needed to know that, you weren't about to tell him that your (now ex) husband wasn't with you anymore. "We should get going."

Despite not giving him an answer, he doesn't push further. You follow him when he starts walking, waiting and already bracing yourself for him to comment on you dodging over his question as bluntly as you had. "Fan of the hot or the cold?" he asks, defying your expectations. "Askin' so I can start the tour from there. If it's hot, we've got Hotland, and if it's cold, I'd be taking you to my hometown first."

You consider his question as you both make way through the broken Barrier. You're pulled in over the thought of getting to know where the monster lived at, yet you're just as attracted by the idea of visiting a place with a name as direct as Hotland. "I…"

You think his question through, though by the time you're ready to reply, he adds, "Or we can start off with the Ruins. We've just gotta take a boat and pass by Snowdin. It's the first place Frisk ended up in, so I'd be givin' you the tour in that order."

Too indecisive to settle on either of the first two options, you nod, accepting his latest suggestion. "The names speak for themselves, I'm guessing?"

He nods back, a chuckle being heard from him. It's hard to see his face with how bright the path is, but you try your best to keep up with his stride, one a bit too fast for someone as short and big-boned as he seems. "And they're all just as creative." His hands leave his pockets and reach out for your arms when you stumble, the overwhelming brightness of the Barrier conflicting with your steps. "Hold on if ya don't wanna trip. We've gotta take the boat not long after this, so just be careful and follow my lead if ya wanna navigate this place a lil' bit easier."

Though you'd rather not be walking so close to the skeleton and even less allowing yourself to find any support in him, one more subtle trip over your own feet makes you maintain your grip on him. Biting back your pride for a second, you lock arms with him and allow him to lead you further in. "Thank you," you mutter, against being impolite. Being angry at the monsters was one thing, but being outright rude to them wasn't in your plans.

You can hear him snicker, the words that follow poking at your tolerance, already low. Patience grows thin, giving a path for irritability to pass through. "Gettin' along with me already, lady?" He's way too laid-back for your taste, and it's hard to imagine him being the one responsible for judging people based on their actions. 

"Barely." You try facing him, though it's hard to have a clear view of his skull, light still obstructing your vision. "I'm simply thankful for your help so far."

**• • •**

**And there it is! Surprisingly,** **readers found the chapter to be a good start despite the initial confusion some had over it, so truthfully... I was afraid of ruining the flow and intrigue by adding this scene before it. But then I also didn't want people to be confused right off the bat with the first chapter, so I was conflicted for a good while over how to fix the situation, lol. For that reason, I made this:[TraInt Survey #2](https://quotev.com/quiz/12873477/Transmission-Intermission-Fanfic-Poll-2).**

**Feel free to let me know if you like this idea or not by taking the survey! I'll be posting those changes in about two weeks or so, depending on the results and my own thoughts.**

**Finally, here are some Transmission, Intermission (TraInt?) sneak peeks of specials/extras I've been working on, each one inspired by the pandemic:**

**Sneak Peek #1 - Love in the times of corona**

**Summary:**

**A discussion of morality, freedom, and love takes place after you're (conveniently) left in lockdown with a bunch of Frisk's monster friends. Not only does this allow you to understand the monsters better, but it also helps make the responsibility of working from home and Frisk's online classes a little less tedious to manage with.**

"What if quarantine happened while you were still with Jerry?" Sans asks, finding a spot on your lap. "Would you be just annoyed by him as you are with me?"

"I'm not annoyed with you," you reply, placing a hand over his chest. "I'm simply wary of anyone who dares purposefully harm someone else." You rub slow circles against that spot, absentmindedly. "I understand the situation to an extent... But why couldn't you try explaining things to the human who fell, instead of taking their life away without giving them a chance to understand what was going on? Couldn't there have been another way if Frisk found one, in the end? Your hand freezes when he looks at you, clenching onto the fabric of his jacket. "I don't expect you to tell me everything in one go, Sans... But could you at least promise me you'll try, and even more now that we're quarantined?"

"It's a bit of a long and complicated thing, but I can tell you about it, sure. Not everything, but it should still be a good start." He shifts a little under your hold, reminding you to let go of his jacket. "We realized our mistakes too late, so now we're tryna change that and return the kindness Frisk offered to us." When you see him grin, you brace yourself, ready for him to ruin the seriousness of your talk. "Anyway," he continues, meeting your eyes. "So if ya don't find me annoying..." Surprisingly, he grows serious again, commenting, "You're sayin' you still enjoy my company, then?"

"I won't deny I do, but I can say that living with you and the rest of the monsters here… It doesn't feel as lonely. You guys also help me with Frisk's school, and work's being divided evenly, so I can't complain." Your hand finds its way to his face, pulling him to a more direct eye contact. "But..." you continue, taking in a breath, "First, I need you to look at me in the eyes and respond to my question honestly." He looks at you, and you carry on. "Have you ever..." You sigh, chest tight. "Have you ever hurt someone before, during your time working for the Royal Guard?"

His gaze falters for a second and his hand grabs your arm, pulling yours back. He sits up straight, a firm gaze overcoming him. "Yeah," he says, nodding. "I have. I refused to kill anybody, but I didn't exactly stay all too innocent, either. And there were times when I could've helped or done more to avoid that person from gettin' hurt, so I ain't completely clean."

His last words get to you, leading you into a thought frenzy.

_You weren't completely clean, either._

_And what did that mean, anyway?_

_How many mistakes would you have to make and how many times would you have to accidentally cause hurt over someone else and your own self for you to be considered a not-so good person?_

_Was living without causing hurt even possible?_

**Sneak Peek #2 - Cute faces and hot muscles**

**Summary:**

**Surely, if you've only ever dated men before marrying Jerry... You're straight, right? Finding one of your coworkers attractive after seeing her give a powerful and inspiring Xoom meeting doesn't mean anything... Right?? And finding Undyne to be just as alluring while she helps you with your workouts doesn't mean anything either...**

**...**

**Right???**

"So you mean it's _not_ normal for me to gawk at Undyne's muscles, if I'm straight?

"Admiring her is something, but from how you're describing this to me... You give off the impression of being attracted to her, sweetheart," Mettaton says, tilting his head. "Any other girl you've found interesting? Maybe that could help."

You think his question through.

It's harder than it sounds.

"I mean…" You hum, considering the situation. "Aside from them two... The Snowdin shopkeeper's pretty cute, too. And... And also maybe that Jessica woman I met back at that patisserie Sans took me to. And maybe-"

He laughs, interrupting your spiral. "Have you considered maybe you're bi or something along those lines, (Y/N)? Alphys's felt similar to you, so I believe she can help you with it."

You nod, albeit too slow for your liking. The more you consider his suggestion, the more unconfident you become. "...I'll think about it," you reply, facing away. "Just not right now."

**Sneak Peek #3 - Oh boy, 3 am!**

**Summary:**

**In which you have an(other) existential crisis during a sleepless night. Thankfully, someone else's up and merry at that same hour.**

No sneak peek for this one. 

It's a secret!

• • •

Aaand that's about it for now!

Take care and stay safe. :-)


	16. 13 - The Color Red

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/5lNd9fph_os)

“Are you really going to let Frisk hangout with them?” Jerry asks, offering you a drink. The smell of alcohol is beyond distinguishable when you take it; you can feel your eyes burn and your throat itch in response to its strength. “Weren’t you the one who said they hurt Frisk in the first place?” You take the drink and set it aside. If he was trying to soften you up by making you tipsy, you weren’t falling for it. “How come they get to see Frisk more often than I do?”

You sit up straight, letting your legs drape off the chair. “I’m still deciding what to do with that,” you reply, facing over to the beach. With the sun already close to hiding, you can tell it’s getting late. Three hours had gone by since you made it here, and yet he still chose to wait until the last minute to talk about this matter with you. “And I never restricted you from seeing Frisk. You did that to yourself.” Your shoulders tense at the feeling of his hands bringing you in for a back hug, his chin resting against your upper back. You brush him away and glare him down, jaw clenching. “Don’t touch me,” you blurt out, chest heaving. “I’m already seeing someone else.” That last sentence is unplanned and more of a necessary impulse than anything else. Even if you weren’t in something official with the one in question yet, you didn’t want to play around.

“Who?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Jerry stands up from his own chair, now his turn to be angry. “It is if he'll be the one who’ll be replacing me.” His hands clench and his back straightens, his height once more towering over you. “You can’t just date any stranger you meet.” Not wanting to feel small, you stand up and lift your gaze, meeting with his eyes. “If the guy turns out to be bad, he wouldn’t only be hurting you, but Frisk, too.”

“And you think I don’t know that?” You frown, shuddering when a gust of wind blows by. “I’ve been single ever since we broke up, Jerry. It’s only now that I’m finally starting to do it again!” When another gust hits, you take a towel and wrap it around your body, shielding yourself from the cold. Ready to leave, you lift your chin and turn around, only to be held back by him again. “What? It’s getting late, and Frisk’s already sleeping.”

“Hear me out for a second, please,” you hear him say. Your back’s still to him, leaving his expression unknown. His voice is what reveals it, a hint of gravity reaching his tone. “I just want what’s best for Frisk and… and _you.”_

“You had time to worry about that _way_ before this. It's too late for your concern now.” Again, you brush his hand away and take a step forward. “You can see Frisk anytime you want so long as _they_ want to, but I don’t want to talk with you anymore, Jerry. You had your time, not now when you've just found out I’m dating someone else.”

“C'mon now. You’re being selfish.”

The next time you feel him touch you, it’s around your waist. He tries to hug you again, but you reject him by pushing him off of you. “I said,” you snap, turning around, “Don’t _touch_ me. You were the one who wanted to do it without any protection, so don’t you dare try this with me again.”

With him now four feet apart from you, your gazes are more leveled out. Still, he tries to make up for it by closing off distance, attempting to corner you. “And yet you still agreed to it,” he says, taking a step forward. “You’re no less innocent, (Y/N).”

Furious, you want to stay and argue, yet your mind fights against it. Id and ego have a conflict as you try not to let things explode, already done with Jerry for today. The sand sinks and slows you down when you try to make an exit, opening a path for him to stop you again. He holds your wrists and keeps you in place. There's tears welling up in his eyes and a sense of longing present in his touch. "I meant it when I said I missed you," he adds, holding you stronger. "I was... I was scared back then, thinking I wouldn't be a good father for our kid, so I left. But now I'm responsible enough, (Y/N), and I can prove it to you." His face gets closer, enough for you to smell the booze in his breath. "Don't you miss me? Just give me one more chance, and you'll see what I mean."

Just as you're trying to find a way to break away from his hold, you hear someone open a door and touch the sandy floor. A voice intervenes, coming from the car parked nearby. You can recognize it already, but you try to focus on Jerry and his drunken state. The voice is softer at first, growing louder when they say, "Leave mom alone."

That confirms who they are.

Frisk closes the door of the car and walks over to your side, looking up to meet with Jerry's face. Their next words are signed, revealing their anxiety, _"You might still be my dad, but you're not married to her anymore."_

Your wrists burn when he lets go. You look down at them, seeing red contrast with the (tone) of your skin. Then, you move your attention towards Jerry and see frustration still present in his eyes. His hands twitch before he balls them again and lets them fall. 

"That's no way to talk to me, Frisk," he says, replacing his sorrow with anger. "Aren't you gonna say anything about it, (Y/N)?" he adds, words now directed at you.

"I told you to leave mom alone," Frisk persists, mimicking his anger.

Jerry looks at you, then at Frisk, and later at your drink, its ice now melted. He picks it up and chugs it down in three long gulps, crushing the cup when finished. "I'm leaving."

True to his words, he storms off, sand scarcely obstructing his steps as he opens the door and steps into the driver's seat.

You rush off to him, saying, "You're too drunk to drive. Let me do it."

He shakes his head, a chuckle leaving his mouth as he tosses the cup aside and turns the key around. "Go take a bus if you don't wanna hitch a ride with me," he replies, snickering. "I'm out."

"It's dangerous." You hold him back by grabbing his arm, this one left to hang over the open window. "Give me the keys."

He grins, closing off distance between you. "Only if you give me a kiss, babe."

"Jerry, _please._ You're being ridicul-

Again, Frisk proves to be not only monsterkind's savior, but also your own as they speak up again, another voice accompanying their own. "Step away from the car and let the lady drive, sir." You look towards the voice to see the local lifeguard stand next to Frisk. She has her arms crossed and firm lips, indicating her authority. 

"Don't wanna."

"Do it for your child." She frowns, furrowed eyebrows completing her look. "Or else I'll be forced to hand you over to our guards until you sober up."

"Take me, then." He steps out of the car and holds his arms out, a sloppy smile showing up. "If I'm not driving my car, then nobody else will."

"Jerry, please, stop thi-"

Too late for you to try and calm him down, the lifeguard walks to his side, looking him in the eye. "Suit yourself." She signals for him to follow her, waiting until he turns the vehicle off, takes the keys away, and complies. "You'll have your car ready for you tomorrow morning. But for now, you get a free, one-night stay with our security guards." She turns to you, barely changing her expression until she speaks up again. "There's a bus stop next to the exit." A hint of a smile shows on her face, hardly noticeable. Had you blinked, it wouldn't've shown. "The next one should be here in ten minutes."

You nod, too shocked for words. Out of the two years you spent being friends with Jerry, a few months of dating, and a few more of marriage, this was one of the few occasions in which you'd seen him react this way. "Thank you." You take Frisk's hand and walk with them out of the beach, steps slow as you consider what's happened. You want to recall times when he'd acted similar to today, yet your mind runs short, only pleasant memories and the day he'd left you showing up. Anything else is blanked out, bringing out your frustration through a huff.

"Are you okay, mom?"

On the verge of letting unwanted emotions show, you bite on your lower lip and face down at them, managing a smile. "I'm okay."

They stay quiet, letting go of your hand to sign their next words. _"...Is it still okay for me to hangout with dad?"_

You hum in agreement, maintaining your smile. "Of course it is." Your hands shake and you try wringing them to control it. Frisk notices, a hint of red still present on your skin. "Just as long as he's sober and treating you well. Don't worry about me, dear."

They frown and keep their eyes on your wrists. You try to hide it from them, though they persist by saying, "I don't... I don't wanna hang out with him anymore. He hurt you."

Anger spikes, making you blurt out the first thing on your mind, "The monsters hurt you, too. And yet I'm still giving them a second chance."

Frisk furrows their gaze and looks up at you. "It's different with the monsters, mom. They stopped when I told them to, and they knew what they did wrong in no time at all." Their nose scrunches up and their frown deepens, displaying their anger by double. "Dad barely even listened to you the first few times. And... And even now he's still not listening!" They hiccup, body trembling as tears gather in their eyes. "T- Toriel gave me a place to stay after I ran away, Papyrus was nice to me all along, a- and Alphys tried to help me... even if she wasn't too good at it."

"And what about Undyne? She attacked you right from the start," you comment, hands on your hips. "And _Sans?_ Didn't he threaten you once, even though you'd done no harm?" You're outright livid now, self-hatred manifesting itself when you realize how naive you'd been.

You'd carelessly kissed the very same man who'd threatened your child. 

_What was different between him and your once husband?_

They'd both submitted your child into danger, be it directly or not.

_Why were you bothering yourself with the monsters, then?_

_Worse yet, why were you thinking about **dating** one of them?_

_And what was the point in all of-_

"Heya."

You're interrupted by the sound of the same man's voice. Not Jerry's, but Sans's. You blink through your fury and look to his side, seeing Frisk has already run off to the back seat of the car. They're smiling despite the tears in their eyes, and they respond with a nod when the monster asks them if they're alright. _"Mom's not,"_ they sign, attempting to be discreet, yet failing.

Reluctantly, you make it to the front passenger seat, thanking the skeleton when he opens up the door for you, magic granting him the ability to do it without much movement needed on his part. "Did Frisk call you?" Your eyes refuse to look at him, focusing instead on the bus already approaching from a few more blocks away.

"Yeah," he replies, changing the gear stick from park to drive. "Don't mean to pry, but…" He's silent for some time, car staying still. "Wanna talk about it over lunch tomorrow?"

When you try to look at him, your gaze can only focus on his teeth, a grim reminder of what you'd done. If you wanted to be a responsible mother, you needed to get a hold of yourself. "...Sure." You relax your posture while he begins the drive. At a red light, you continue with, "Thank you."

Now able to face you, he grins and later winks, hands still on the wheel. "Anythin' for you, (Y/N)."

You squirm at the sound of him saying your name, battling away any possible feelings for him. 

Whether Frisk's or your own words were true, you still had to be strong, both for their sake and yours.


	17. 14 - Canned Heat

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/80Ee8e3u9qk)

"You're the one she's dating, aren't you?" Jerry asks, obstructing the line. A few potential customers leave when they notice what's going on, not bothering to become involved in the mess. "How's that gonna even work, though? She's only into _real_ men as far as I know, so how're you gonna even please her without the anatomy of one?"

"This really ain't the place for us to be talkin' about this, pal," Sans replies, looking behind him. "Just lemme do my job. We can talk about this after I clock out."

"Don't you have a lunch break? Let's talk by then."

"'Fraid I've already got plans for lunch."

"Does it involve her?"

"Maybe." The monster shoos him out of the hot dog stand, continuing to serve those in line. "Dunno why you're still so hung up over this, though. Why don't ya move on?"

"That's easier to say than do." Again, Jerry obstructs the line, ignoring those who tell him to buzz off. He suspends himself over the cart and grabs Sans by the collar, pulling him off the ground until he's to his eye level. He narrows his eyes and tightens his grip on the monster's shirt, yet the latter remains calm. "How far have you gone with her? You're betraying our friendship."

Sans uses magic to break free from his hold. Then, he shrugs, hands slipping into his pockets. "Let's end it, then. Rather have that than let you keep on questionin' me over weird stuff and then make me lose customers 'cuz ya keep on blockin' the line."

"Wouldn't have happened if you'd just tell me what's going on."

"I would," Sans comments, taking a water bottle and handing it to one of his customers. "But realistically speakin': What's it to ya? From what I've noticed so far, she's moved on from you, pal."

"But I haven't."

Chuckling, Sans takes a break from the conversation to look up at the sky, grey clouds beginning to block the sun and the heat. There's people around with their umbrellas already at hand. Those who don't have any rush to find someplace with a roof. "I'm gonna say this nicely, so hear me out." He emerges out of the hot dog stand and starts closing things up, not only due to the worsening weather, but it being barely ten minutes away from his lunch break. If Jerry was still at it, he needed that extra time to get him off his back. "I don't want any trouble, so stop tryna stir some. You had your time, Jerry. Now it's none of your business who your ex chooses to date, and even less how far she's gone with that person."

"It should be if Frisk will be in the picture."

"Then take responsibility and look after them. You're worryin' too much about this."

"You don't know what I've been through."

"Maybe not, but I can at least tell you to try. Didn't you do the same when I was talkin' about hittin' things off with (Y/N)?"

"That was a mistake." He scoffs, glaring at the monster. "Don't rub it in."

Sans finishes closing up right as the first few drops begin to fall. A cold wind blows, wet earth and hot concrete wafting through the air. When he starts walking off, Jerry now left behind, Sans stops, hearing him mutter out a 'wait'. Then, he turns around, facing up at the human man, anger present in his posture, stiff and awkward. "Just... Just tell me if you're serious about her or not."

Though it starts to pour, Sans is unable to move. He stays still and considers Jerry's words, thinking back on the night at the hotel and yesterday evening.

Sure, he found her attractive, attentive, and also dedicated when it came to her roles as a mother.

_But why exactly did he want to be with her?_

Despite his social circle, he mostly thrived alone, and taking up big responsibilities wasn't his thing, in truth. It often tired him out to even consider having a serious relationship with someone, and he couldn't even maintain his current friendships or the day-to-day life with his brother. He sounds a lot like the same man he's judging with those last lines, yet it doesn't feel right; that same sensation increases the more he considers his feelings and the situation overall. Living with his brother brought upon an inevitably energetic lifestyle. His personality was far different from Papyrus's, and on some occasions, he didn't exactly feel his best self with the knowledge that those differences were still present between him and most of the people he knew.

_So why was he getting himself into something as complex as a romantic relationship?_

_Was he truly only curious about how it all felt, having heard others around him talk about love and intimacy ever since he could remember?_

If that was the case, then it really _wasn't_ okay for him to keep fooling around with her.

And judging by how stern and persistent Frisk was when it came to defending their mother, they wouldn't be either.

"You just think she's attractive, and that's about it. Right? She's only eye candy to you, I'm sure." Jerry comments, Sans's time having run out. "Betting you ten bucks you'll ditch her the second you get bored of her."

He doesn't hold back his tongue, replying with, "Talkin' from experience?"

With the rain now pouring too hard for neither of them to continue, Jerry settles by glaring at the skeleton before giving his back to him. "You dodged my question," he remarks, snickering. "Let's have a talk when you've actually got an answer, and maybe then you can go ahead and judge me all you want, bro." Silence arrives, broken with, "In the end, you're just as bad as me."

Sans stays quiet, analyzing the bit of truth in Jerry's words.

_Before his kind was freed by Frisk, how many times didn't he simply stand by the sidelines, watching as fallen human after fallen human got hurt, sought, and wounded, up until their passing?_

He didn't hurt anybody, but then he also didn't help anybody out either. Things had gone in a similar way with Frisk; he'd only watched over them every so often, fulfilling Toriel's promise of not hurting any human, but mediocrely, seeing as he'd never even bothered to help them, either.

_What guaranteed he wouldn't do the same thing here at the Surface, and even more with a human woman he was only recently getting to know?_

"Sans, you're drenched!"

Speaking of her, Sans sets those thoughts aside and looks up to see an umbrella covering him up. (Y/N) stands under it and close to him, brushing shoulders as she escorts him off to drier land. Her touch sends electricity down his body, yet he forces himself to ignore it, a flash of guilt overcoming those wants. He accompanies her under a bus stop, the roof above providing partial cover from the rain. She keeps the umbrella straight even as she rummages through her purse, looking intent to take out something from it. "Hold on a second," she says, retrieving a pink and polkadotted handkerchief from one of the purse's tiny side pockets. "It's… not really much, but it's better than staying all wet."

Sans nods, still too lost in his thoughts to respond properly. He takes off his jacket and grabs the piece of cloth, quirking an eye socket when he sees the woman move her gaze elsewhere. "...Your shirt's a bit thin," she comments, as if reading his mind. If she was embarrassed over that, it was hard to tell with her voice. "Should we find somewhere else to stay? The sky just keeps getting worse."

Almost seeming to set those priorities straight, the weather responds to her comment by lashing out more rain, stronger than before. A car drives past, sending a torrent of water at his and everyone else's direction, holding little regards to speed and those around. He reacts by instinct, casting a quick shield to prevent everyone around from getting wet. As he steps back, his shoulder brushes with hers again and he's forced to suppress another shudder. His soul and body both long for her presence, his brief time with her at the hotel now becoming faint yet pleasant memories he wanted to keep close. "Let's go," he replies, a hand reaching out for the umbrella. 

He grabs her hand instead. 

To his surprise, she doesn't pull back, and he follows her gaze to see her looking up at the sky. "...It's getting worse," he hears her say, a hint of sadness showing up on her voice, words muttered. "Let's go to my place." Her comment is pure survival instinct more than anything suggestive. He sees her chest rise and fall at quicker intervals, hinting at panic. "I need to go get Frisk if the weather keeps up like this." 

Her voice is breaking and her hand stays with his. Briefly, he wonders why she's scared over the bad weather, that being something mostly _he_ was known for. 

"Aren't they with Toriel today?" Sans asks, trying to lighten up the mood. "The kid's safe if you're worried about 'em."

She stays quiet, observing the rain before saying, "I… I lost them in a storm like this one the last time they ran away." (Y/N) huffs, not in annoyance, but in fright, based on the shudder her body makes. She presses herself closer to him, the height difference making her arm brush with his shoulder. Her head rests against the top of his, tilted over to his side. "I'm worried they'll do it again with what… happened yesterday."

He slips his free hand back into his pocket, still too awkward to pull his hand away from the umbrella. "Do ya really think they'll do somethin' like that again?" It's an unforeseen question, one he feels imprudent over saying. Even so, there's no turning back now, and he can only try to soften up his words a little better. "They looked pretty sorry for doin' that twice."

"Still…" She presses closer to him, holding his waist. Judging by how careful her touch is and how little her expression shifts from her sorrow, he shakes off the possibility of this being one of her attempts at paying back at him for his flirting. "I'm worried." Her hand slips away, leaving the ghost of her warmth on his bones. "We should get going. You're still soaked." She smiles, continuing with, "Thank you, by the way. It was a lot better having you pick us up, rather than taking the bus at seven."

Finally capable, Sans pulls his hand back and starts walking with her out of the bus stop, finding additional coverage under the roofs of nearby buildings. "No problem," he says, looking up at her. Only the woman and himself can be seen walking; the rest of the people around either make a run for it, or take cover inside shops and office buildings. "That's what we're all here for, lady."

The woman smiles, all the uncertainty from before seeming to have never existed with how bright her expression is. She nods, bumping her hip against his. "I mean it," she says, lips tugging upwards. "I, well… I still feel weird over our date, but in a good way, though."

* * *

He arrives at her home an hour after. The weather's still at it, though in comparison to previous times, there's no thunder to worry about yet. There's all sorts of leaves littering the grass and the roads around, the strength of the wind being responsible for it. A few car alarms go off as debris falls over them, leaving their owners to try bring control to the situation. 

When he makes it with her to the front door, she opens it up in no time and bundles him up with a towel as soon as she steps inside. 

"You should shower and change, just in case," she says, taking off her heels. She sets them aside next to the welcome mat, and he figures he should do the same, too. "I'm not sure if monsters can get sick this way, but you should head over to the bathroom while I look for some clothes."

It's only when she turns to him that the situation finally gets to him. Charmed by her words and the situation overall, he looks up at her with a grin, that alone resulting to be enough for her to freeze and stay still, like a deer in the middle of a road. "Taking this dating thing seriously, huh?" he asks, taking a step closer. She doesn't take one back, nor does she glare, looking as lost as humans often did when they fell Underground. "I'm flattered."

It's too big of a romcom cliche with the rain, the distance, and the privacy of her home. When she finally does show her anger, it conflicts with a frown and watery eyes, far different from her usual self. Even when she'd become frustrated confronting Alphys and Undyne about their lives underground, she hadn't shown a sorrow like this one. It's different and concerning enough for him to want to back away from his usual teasing.

(Y/N) takes a step forward, the clicking of her heels now gone. Then, she lowers her gaze and her lips quiver as she tries not to let her tears fall. "I…" She holds onto his shoulder, bringing him closer as she does the same. Her eyes narrow and her unknown conflict shows through the wrinkles on her forehead and the subtle pout of her mouth. With how close she is, it wouldn't take much for her lips to brush with his teeth. Just as he can feel her arm around his waist, she pulls back, looking away as she backtracks on her steps. "...I need to ask you something," she says, still facing away. 

All of a sudden, her conflict dissipates and anger returns to her posture. She crosses her arms, finding strength again. "Can... Can you stay over so we can talk?"

Sans nods, keeping his cool. He tries not to think back too much on how close she just was or how she'd brushed off her sadness like it was nothing, yet it's hard to do. His soul pounds as he holds her back with a 'wait', refraining from physical contact. "You doin' alright, (Y/N)?" he asks, holding back a breath. "We can still talk about yesterday, if you wanna. Maybe we can't go anywhere with the weather right now, but I can make us that dinner I promised you last time."

Her lips form a firm line as she considers his offer.

Seconds later, a smile shows on her face. She looks down at her phone, checking the time. "Sounds good." She grins, a stifled laugh following after it. "Now go change, Sans. We can't keep this up if you get sick!"


	18. 15 - Oh, Sugar Honey Iced Tea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate Chapter Title:
> 
> Hey, mami (the live action)

[BGM](https://youtu.be/wv5i0WKotGs)

When you're done freshening up, dinner's already underway. The scent of vegetables and broth hits your nose, and the cold temperature left behind by the storm brings forth an additional hint as to what the monster was cooking up for dinner. You try to stay soundless as you sneak off to the kitchen and stand behind him, looking over his shoulder when you make it there.

"I can tell you're here, lady," Sans says, chuckling. He turns to you, a spoon held up in his hand. There's a sample of soup on it, waiting to be tested. The scent reminds you over having missed lunch break due to the stormy weather, the hours that lasted bringing forth your boss's decision to call the rest of your shift off. You were supposed to be on your last meeting by now, yet the rain and wind had proven to be superior, canceling all plans. Less work meant less pay, though you try to refrain yourself from worrying too much about that right now. "Taste it." He offers it out to you, waiting. You, on the other hand, take a while to do anything, overthinking the situation as you then debate on whether to take the spoon or taste it right off his hand. The first option had the risk of you brushing hands with the monster and spilling the soup in the process, yet tasting it right off his hand was almost unthinkable to do. 

Another thought pops into your mind, and that's whether it was fine to trust the monster by tasting the food without even inspecting it yet. Though you knew him for a few months now, it's still impossible not to acknowledge a possibility like that one. If a man you'd known for so many years had ended up leaving you, only to make a scene like yesterday's when trying to get back with you, who's to say a complete stranger with customs far different from yours wouldn't do something similar, or even worse?

You remind yourself of your main and original task: confronting him and the rest of the monsters over the choices they made back at the Underground, regardless of how charming and kind they were being to you currently. Sans was no less of an exception. This wasn't only for Frisk's safety and their overall state of well-being, but for your own reputation as their mother, and for your peace of mind, too.

You figure you've taken too long based on how the skeleton backs the spoon away.

His grin widens and he sips the contents off the spoon, leaving it empty. "I promise it ain't poisoned." He gives his back to you as he goes to wash the spoon, offering it empty to you after it's cleaned. "You can taste it now." He moves aside, leaving space for you to step in and scoop a bit of the soup still bubbling in the pot.

Just as you're about to eat it though, he says, "I'm not the best cook around, so go ahead and lemme know if it tastes funny." 

A smile forms on your face when you hear that, captivated by the idea of him having no clue how to begin cooking, and even more so, considering he was at your home instead of his. If it was often difficult for beginners to cook in the familiarity of their own home, you can't imagine how it must be doing that at another person's place. For a brief moment, you wish you could've seen him in the process of cooking, an opportunity you'd lost while you went off to shower and change.

When you taste it, what's missing drops into your thoughts, years of having cooked at home revealing the capability of identifying it quickly. You consider the suggestion, confirming what the soup's lacking when you clean up the spoon and take a second sample off the pot. "It's good," you say, setting it aside. "Just needs a little bit of salt and more time to stew. The rest is fine."

"Thanks," he replies, nodding as his hands go back in his pockets. "Paps wants to improve his cooking, so I figured I've gotta better mine some more before I teach him anything."

Again, your mind finds itself in a conflict. While it's charmed by the thoughtfulness of that comment, it's also clouded by the morose reminder of how most of the monsters had hurt your child during their journey underground. To distract yourself, you add the missing ingredient to the soup and walk with Sans to the couch while it finishes boiling.

It feels strange to sit so far apart from each other, but he doesn't try to close off the distance, nor do you.

You prop a leg over the other and rest a hand over your knee, bouncing the one on the floor when you lack anything more to say. Your thoughts scramble around as you try to find a way to make the situation less awkward. When you look back to him, you see it's something he also seems to be wanting to end, your gaze meeting with his when you both decide to look at each other's side, synchronizing.

He shifts a bit closer and you do the same, continuing until your hands touch.

Almost immediately, you pull back, yet your gaze remains locked with his, eyes drifting down to his teeth. Even as he gets closer, you stay still, lost in your thoughts and the risky scenario unfolding. Your brain and heart scream at you to stop; your body, conversely, refuses to move out of its current spot and rebels by inching closer to him, until you're near enough to catch the scent of the only soap brand you often bought for showering: soft-scented economical, and antibacterial. It's strange to catch its scent from someone other than yourself. Frisk preferred using a different kind, making the situation much more intimate than you would like it to feel.

You grab his hand and Sans leans into you, stopping when your back presses against the armrest. Then, he pulls his hand back, using both to hold your shoulders and corner you right into place. Height difference makes it so that his legs stay knelt on the couch while yours hang off of it, these tucked aside as you focus on the situation at hand. He shifts closer as he tries to level out your heights, hold on you staying. The sound of your own heart and of the soup simmering by the kitchen are the only two other things to keep your mind occupied from what's happening, anticipation causing your breaths to waver.

As if the situation couldn't be tense enough, the door of the living room opens and in barge two people, leaving you in an iced state. Rather than Frisk and Toriel, it's Frisk and Jerry who stand at the frame, one casting a look of betrayal at the monster while the other scrutinizes the situation. You try standing up, yet the monster's hands hold you back, body held up over yours, still cornered. His face reveals nothing but conflict, a look similar to your state of mind regarding how freely to act with his kind. 

Jerry leaves without a word and shuts the door too slow for it to even click. Frisk does the rest of the job for him, locking it, checking it again, and saying nothing themselves as they look at you in the eye and sign, _"Can we talk later, mom?"_

Still in a tough position, you nod once, lacking strength or words to say out loud. Sans doesn't move even as Frisk disappears into the hallway.

Looking up at him, you see his irises falter; his gaze isn't fully there. A few drops of sweat are present on his forehead, and you can feel his hands grow cold. "...Are you okay, Sans?" you ask, voice barely there. "I, um... I think the soup should be ready now."

You hope that's enough to snap him out of it, only to have that contradicted when his hold on you stays. "I'm sorry, (Y/N)," he mutters, huffing, "That promise I made to you by keepin' this a secret… I failed it."

Sans moves back while you sit up straight, silence returning. He stands up and goes to turn off the stove, all done within more time than you would expect as he chooses to stay there a few more seconds, staring aimlessly at the kitchen's wares. You rest your hands on your knees and wait to see what he does next. There's not much you can do now that you've been caught in a moment like that one, and there's no time to beat yourself up over it, either. All you can do's admit your blame where it best seemed fit, and that was in letting your inner voice act before you. You'd given it your greatest efforts to wait until college graduation to date, only to then wait until you had a more stable job to actually do anything serious with someone else, and later waited seven more years of watching as Frisk grew up, only to let your wants show through now of all times.

Excuse through excuse, be it valid or not, you'd restricted yourself at every moment you saw possible.

All that, and yet it still felt as if you hadn't done enough.

You wanted to be stronger. 

"Frisk told me 'bout your situation," Sans says, distracting you from your thoughts. "Not whatever happened with Jerry, but the way you see monsters, and well… _me_ , in general." He turns away from the kitchen and sits back down on the couch, looking directly at you, for completely different reasons as earlier ago. His hand stays over one of yours, more comforting than sultry. Were you to know him for any longer, you would've assumed he's holding his soul on his sleeve, yet you remind yourself he's still a stranger. "Maybe this's my habits showin' up, but if I were to judge you based on what they told me, I'd say you're labeling yourself as a bad guy." His fingers intersect with yours, squeezing your palm. "Of all the things I've gotten to learn about you, this's one of the least you should be blaming yourself for. If anything, you're not exactly the only one responsible for all that's been happenin' right now."

Your breaths grow tighter the longer you keep listening to him. Your heart's racing again, though it's different compared to before. The monster lets your hand go, continuing with, "I can't tell you just how different we are from each other, and how much I wish I had a fraction the amount of willpower you and your kid have." He sighs, a hint of a smile showing despite the furrow in his gaze. "You've got some things right about me, and one of 'em's havin' chosen to act too late. Being unable to be there for those I care about." His nose cavity flares as he lets out a bursted laugh, remorse showing in spite of his best efforts not to let that happen. "I hate who I used to be, and even now, I still feel like I could've done more. I wanna try harder, but I don't have a clue on where to start with that."

Sans tries to stand up, yet fails to, heaving out a breath as he closes his eye sockets and surrenders himself back on the couch. He rests his elbow over the armrest and lets his chin rest on his hand. After that, he looks back to your side, an apologetic gaze showing as his grin widens and his crease deepens, the way his monster anatomy worked allowing him to further display similar movements to that of a human furrowing their brow. "Keep taking credit where it's due, (Y/N). And when you've got somethin' you want to improve, try your best to overcome it." He pauses, the crease in his gaze lessening as he casts a fonder look at you. "Not that you ain't tryin' already. But you're still taking up too much of the blame, and not realizing when you can be free. It doesn't have to be with me or anybody else for that matter, but try to live life a little. Don't just dwell on it and keep yourself from stuff you want to achieve for yourself. You should live for you, just as you're tryna live for others."

He closes his eye sockets and takes a hand to his face, rubbing his forehead until he lets out another breath. Then, he opens them and straightens up on his seat, hands resting on his lap. There's a brief pause, broken when he breathes in again, saying, "...So a skeleton and a single mom walk into a bar," he takes another pause, continuing with, "One bares her skin to the bartender, earnest down to the bone," his breath hitches, yet he composes himself quickly, "the other sits back, looks into the past, and then wonders why he's feelin' so lonely."

Huffing, he ends it all with a chuckle and an attempt at covering his face away from your sight. You stop him with the brush of a hand, taking his cheekbone when he turns to you. His body's shaking, and a few tears escape his sockets, these he tries to wipe with his free hand, only for you to hold him back by doing it yourself. Caught in the moment, you kiss one of them away, the expectance of a salty taste proven wrong as you receive a hint of sweetness instead, reflecting the memory of your day with him at the patisserie. His shoulders shake as he chokes back a sob, breaking down. His hands grab your back, bringing you in for a hug as he seeks more comfort. In that embrace, you can feel how his ribcage rises and falls at quick intervals, slowing down when you hug him back and wait until he breaks it apart.

The wait's as long as you expect it for someone in his state, the weight of his breaths diminishing as he calms down and lets go.

"Sorry about that," he comments, chuckling. "Wasn't really myself for a moment there, huh?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once more, here's a preview of the next 5 chapters:
> 
> 16 - Try a Little Tenderness
> 
> An (extremely) awkward family dinner ensues.
> 
> 17 - So what's the deal with airline food?
> 
> A family member makes a (not-so) quick visit back home.
> 
> 18 - Walkie Talkie Man
> 
> A dispute is settled once and for all.
> 
> 19 - Material Girl
> 
> The summary above is false.
> 
> 20 - Mother, Mother
> 
> Story Arc #2 comes to an end.


	19. General, Important Announcement

Hello!

So, as the title says, this is a general announcement, meaning it will be posted on all of my stories. 

First off, and before we go anywhere, I will say this: I'm not deleting anything, just thinking over how I want to approach my ideas and better implement them into my fanfics.

If you've happened to read any of my previous fanfics before they got deleted/remade, you might've noticed I've become very, _very_ critical of my writing, to the point where I stop the story when I notice I'm not content enough with what I'm delivering.

For that reason, along with my poor health and the time constraints caused by it, I will be placing the following stories on-hold for a full month (meaning to return on early September, after I edit all current chapters to better fit my newest quality criteria, create a set of buffer chapters again, and continue with the usual weekly updates after it):

  1. Grey Tones, Clear Tones (A fluffy and wholesome, adventure and romance Steven Universe fanfic/short story. Feels like it could have a lot more potential if I managed to re-edit the chapters.)

  2. Lovesick, Lovelorn (Mafiatale AU fanfic set in the 1920s. I love historical fiction, but I haven't been able to demonstrate it properly enough through here.)

  3. Happily, Candidly (Horrortale AU fanfic/short story. Again, I love horror and all things macabre, but I haven't been able to demonstrate it properly through here either. My writing's become way too fluffy for that, lol.)




The following two have kept the most consistent schedule, and shall keep on being that way, since I'm pretty happy/proud with how they've turned out:

  1. Transmission, Intermission (Silly but serious Undertale fanfic discussing morals, judgment, and a bunch more other things.)

  2. White Lilies, Pink Lilies (Gay Princesses™. That's it.)




The following other two will return this week with their regular update schedule:

  1. Night Sky, Night Fall (Beastars fanfic discussing topics similar to those present in Transmission, Intermission.)

  2. Yearning, Learning (Gay Princesses™, part two.)




And that's about it with this announcement! To summarize, 4 out of 7 stories will continue to update as usual, while the other 3 remaining will return in a month or so, progressively as I edit and write out more buffer chapters for them.

With that being said, thank you for reading until here! It's like 3 am currently and I'm seriously sleep deprived, so I'm signing out for today, lol.

Take care and stay safe out there, everyone. :-)


	20. 16 - Try a Little Tenderness

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/qzyFFAtUczg)

Dinner is about as awkward as waving back at someone you think's waving at you, only to then realize they're actually waving at someone else.

Frisk stares at your guest from beginning to end, only looking back to their bowl when they’re done with it. They grab a piece of bread and soak up what little soup remains at the bottom, saying, “You’re not a bad cook.” They pause to take a bite off the bread, the rest of it disappearing in three more. “Is this mom’s way of testing whether you'll be a good boyfriend or not?”

Sans swallows hard, coughing once to recover as he sets his spoon down. “Well, uh… Somethin’ like that, I guess.” He casts a subtle look at you, irises asking for help.

“We’re not dating,” you intervene, scooping up some of the soup. You throw it back into the bowl when your hand begins to shake, too tense to continue eating. “You and your father just so happened to walk in at the wrong moment, making it look like something else.”

Frisk frowns, a bored expression reaching their eyes. “I can tell you’re lying, mom. You’re bad at it.” Their gaze moves back towards Sans, who’s now finished with his bowl and trying to move away from the conversation. “What about _you,_ then? Why’re you chickening out if you still want to date my mom?” They furrow their eyebrows, glaring at the monster. “Why are you-“

“That’s enough, dear.” You stand up, facing down at them. “This isn’t his fau-“

“So it’s _yours?”_ Their voice breaks as they're the one to stand up next, their hands thumping over the table and frown quivering as they attempt not to show weakness. “He… He flirted with you, so that means he’s also responsible for it!”

“I said that’s _enough,_ Frisk (L/N),” you snap, crossing your arms. “I’m okay with talking about this with you, but _not_ during dinner. And even less when we have a guest over.” You plan to pick the dishes up, though the skeleton beats you to it, excusing himself off to the kitchen. “I’m _not_ dating him, and that's final. That only happened ‘cause we were both confused and we kind of like each other. But I refuse to date anyone until you’re all grown up.”

“You’ll be _old_ by then,” they whine, flailing their arms. “Grandmas can’t date!”

“Yes, they can.” You find yourself going along with the ridiculousness of the conversation, too caught up in it to fully assess their words. “And ten more years won’t make me a grandma! I’m still young.”

Paralyzing for a second, Frisk huffs and switches for sign language, saying, _“That still doesn’t mean you have to live like this.”_ They frown, eyes wetting as they sniffle once. _“I like seeing you happy… But right now, this just makes me feel like a burden.”_

Your anger falls with that last sentence, panic replacing it.

In a haste, you try approaching their side, though they run off to their room just as you’re ready to bring them in for a hug. Their steps are quick and the door shuts with a subtle bang, their composure still showing through. You stay in place as their words replay on your mind over and over, gloom arriving. Dismissing their words is an impossible feat; your mind continues to subject your thoughts into negativity, repentance, and sorrow, restraining you from acting quickly.

_If you’d been doing a bad job at raising them all this time, then what had been the point of it all?_

Needing a distraction, you head to the kitchen and join Sans by the sink, no words spoken between you.

He washes the dishes while you dry and store them away, keeping up a rhythmic pace until only the pot’s left. Your gaze focuses on his arms, jacket’s sleeves lifted all the way up to his elbows, revealing the oddity of who you were growing attracted to. His shirt's a bit loose by the neck, presenting you with his collarbones as you take a peek under it. You're still adapting to the strangeness of having someone look so similar to a human skeleton, yet so different just the same. He could breathe, laugh, move, talk... and even _kiss_ based on first-hand experience. His face wasn't entirely solid, allowing him to blink, eat, and drink, besides from what you were thinking of whenever you stared at his face and down at his teeth. You tell yourself it’s wrong to be befriending him, and even worse finding any attraction in him. You’re not sure how to take his words from earlier ago, and just what it meant to see him break down like he had. 

_He’d revealed he disliked who he used to be, but did he remember having said it?_

From your experience, moments like those were hard to keep clear.

“Do you… remember what you said to me, Sans?”

His hands stop what they’re doing, one holding the knob, ready to open the faucet, and the other holding the pot, now coated in suds. He looks up at you, saying, “I cried, didn’t I? Don’t really remember word-for-word, but I know I meant what I said.”

You gulp, breathing in before responding with, “Even the part about hating who you used to be?”

Sans turns the knob, letting water pour down. “Yeah.” He nods, heaving out a breath. “The more I look back and reflect on who I used to be, the more I understand why you don’t trust me.” The pot’s close to overflowing, though he doesn’t notice. You step in and place your hand over his, closing the faucet. Unaddressed tension remains as you stare down at his hand, yet you refuse to let it show, repelled by the idea of taking advantage of his vulnerability. You don’t want to engage in anything like your stay at the hotel again until you sorted out your mind and its jumble of thoughts, nor do you wish to romanticize his self-hatred by fulfilling your wants. “...I, uh, understand why now. And I promise I’ll stop flirtin' now that I know it.”

The monster pulls his hand away and takes the pot with both, emptying the soapy water down the drain. He does it little by little, preventing a flood in the sink. “Did Jerry say something about this?” you ask, taking the pot when he hands it to you. You hang the current towel and take a dryer, cleaner one from the rack. Then, you continue, finishing with the job. “He looked at you weird.”

He chuckles, meeting your eyes. “Maybe ‘cause I was all over you for a second there?”

You glare at him, lips doing the opposite by tugging into a grin, one you try to fight back. “Cut the sarcasm.” You jab his waist, smile growing. “You know what I mean. He looked at you like you broke the bro code some guys usually have.”

“Let him think what he wants to think. I knew you before I knew him, and you guys haven’t been together for eight years. You’re your own person, and so’s him. If he doesn’t want to keep being friends, then that’s fine with me.”

You glance over to the time on the wall clock, seeing it’s already seven o'clock. With the frequent rain, the monster had been obliged to store his motorcycle away for the time being, and to make up for it, his brother was now the one to either lend him his car, or take him where he needed to be. In short, sending him back home would mean calling Papyrus two hours right before his sleep schedule. Either that, or sending Sans all alone off to the nearest bus stop.

You settle on neither, saying, "Want to stay over? It's late, and I've got a guest bedroom you can use."

He snickers, replying with, "Worried 'bout me?" When he notices, his grin falls, and he quickly makes up for it by adding, "Sorry. Doing that's pretty much a reflex now."

You smile and swat his shoulder, keeping your hand there. "...I don't really mind you flirting that way. I like it better than when you're straight-up obvious about it."

"Like the Mrs. Serif thing?"

"Exactly." You shift on your feet, remembering one of his older comments. "That, and the ones you used to make about my... _appearance."_ You think back on the day you first learned about his fear and the talk you had after it. His comment about how you had some 'mad thighs' had almost completely gone over your head, and you wonder how you didn't sock his face with how plain shameless he'd been back then.

"So you want me to be less invasive," he says, nodding. "Got it." He tries not to look down, a slight tense present in his grin. "I apologize if I ever made ya uncomfortable. I'm surprised you didn't just whack me over the head back then. Feels like I deserved it sometimes."

"Violence is not the answer." You pause, face regaining seriousness. "Unless you cross borders you shouldn't be crossing."

"Kinda like what happened at the couch today?"

"No." You feel your throat ache the longer you talk with him, still too awkward to relax around him. "...I wanted it back then."

He washes his hands and gives you space to do the same. Then, he brings his sleeves down, waiting until you're done washing up to accompany you back to the living room. "Touch-starved?" he jokes, though you're far from taking it that way. 

_Eight years._

Not that you were completely, utterly desperate for a relationship, but good company was still good company. You could still use the warmth of someone else, even if it was purely platonic or familiar, like a tight hug or just someone else to have around the house. Wanting to depend less on Jerry's child support and more on your own funds, you proposed to yourself working long hours for as long as it was necessary. The rest of your time off was either used in daily chores or in spending time with Frisk. It's only now that the monsters help you out with your child and their growth that you have more time to do stuff like this.

"...Yes," you reply, looking away. "But that can wait."

You excuse yourself and head over to the fridge, needing some water to cure the sudden soreness to your throat. That, and you didn't really want to keep tangling yourself up in that mess.

When you've just about drank more than half a gallon, you stop and take in a deep breath, bringing yourself back to calm. Regardless of what Frisk and even the skeleton himself had said about living for yourself every so often, you had your set of goals already planned out.

Speed-running through a relationship wasn't one, and even less taking into account the subject's past.

You needed to know him and his intentions better before throwing yourself into it; more than usual.

Two years of pointless arguments between you and Jerry had been enough to last you a lifetime, one of them even more than pointless, considering you were already divorced by year two. You never understood the point of submitting a child to the sight of constant arguments if you could just find a way to stop being involved in what was causing that. You didn't want Frisk to feel like the root of all your problems, nor did you want to make them feel as if they had to redeem themselves for something that wasn't even their fault to begin with. It was difficult to comprehend the thought-process behind calling out how many finances were spent on them, unless they were being a spoiled brat about it. Guilting them over the good things they had and belittling their own problems through constant comparison wasn't something you wanted, either.

_But did it all had to be done by you limiting your own life and enjoyments?_

Sans's advice and Frisk's words get to you, these you try to brush off for the moment being.

Fixing your situation with the monsters was more important than that.

"Mom?" a familiar voice calls out, stopping your speeding train of thought. "Is Sans staying over tonight?"

Your body freezes up, face doing the opposite. Out of all the people you could’ve chosen to be attracted to, it had to be a person whose existence you barely knew of until a few months ago, who you would've sworn was a contradiction to science as you knew it, and whose flirting techniques were about as low quality as a school lunch's ‘pizza’ Friday. “Yes,” you say, drinking another glass. You’ve already drank more than enough, but stress makes you want more. “It would be rude to send him home with how late it is.”

“You just want him to stay longer, don’t you?”

“That’s none of your concern, dear.”

You serve them a glass of milk, kiss their cheek, and send them off to bed, slumping against the fridge when they’re gone. The sound of the television being turned on follows when their footsteps grow faint, and you can hear them exchange a few words with the skeleton, though none of these you can get to understand clearly, standing so far away. “That’s her favorite movie!” is the only sentence you can decipher from them, words exclaimed. “Have fun!” They run off, footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Finally left with Sans again, you return to the living room to see him resting on the same side you’d been pinned to on the couch. You try not to remember, yet your mind proves to be cruel as it reminds you over the subtle warmth of his hands, the scent of your soap on him, and him being so close to take initiative by being the one to almost kiss you this time. You’d been the one to take initiative the first time you kissed him at the hotel’s pool, yet you admit it was nothing special. It was mostly the heat of the moment that had caused you both to take it easy. Today was a whole other story. In comparison to your approach, his was a much more subtle and slow building one, waiting for you to better process his intentions and reciprocate his own actions with far more sincerity compared to your stay at the hotel. 

In short, you wanted to kiss him, but for real this time.

“You doing okay?” Sans asks, seeing you arrive. He scoots further away, a simple gesture for you to sit down and join him.

“I’m... I'm okay,” you reply, nodding. “But are you really gonna watch that?” You point out at the television, your favorite movie still playing. “It’s a little lame.”

“Don’t lie.” He grins, hanging an arm behind the couch again when you sit down, right next to him. “I’m pretty sure the kid said it’s your favorite.”

“Out of that particular genre, yes.” You stare at the screen, displaying a scene not too fitting for your situation, yet not completely out of touch either. It gives space for you to talk with him, no awkward romance scenes happening at the moment, and no loud, action-packed scenarios occurring either. Without a word, you move a bit close to him, letting his arm wrap around your shoulders as he brings you near him, face resting against his chest. “Have you watched it before?”

“Today’s my first,” he says, his hand lowering to your waist. He doesn’t do anything else, giving space for you to cozy up next to him the way you best deemed fit. “Feelin’ better now? You can stay for s’long as ya need.”

Aware the monster's referencing your no short of embarrassing confession from before, you shift to a straighter position, face his irises, and glare up at him. Rather than throwing a remark back at the skeleton, you figure it’s now best to kill him with kindness. 

You take his cheekbone and stroke his face, smiling to better accomplish your payback.

When he meets with your gaze, far too earnest and warm for your liking, you flinch and have an unconscious change of plans.

“You’re enough, you know that?” you say, words slipping out of your mouth. “Maybe I don’t fully understand what went on at the Underground, but... But I'd say you’ve demonstrated you care enough to improve things you don’t like about yourself. And you've also been pretty blunt and honest with me so far, so there’s that, too.” You kiss his cheekbone, ending on a note far more earnest than you originally intended your payback to be. “Remember that next time you start criticizing yourself like that again.”


	21. 17 - So what's the deal with airline food?

[BGM](https://youtu.be/95lYC90eKvA)

You wake up to an arm around your waist and a prominent numbness to your cheek, pressed up against a hard surface. There's the sound of the fan turned on to the highest level, providing some cold even with the blanket you can feel wrapped around you. The wall clock ticks by the distance and you can hear someone else's heartbeat apart from your own. 

When you open your eyes and see just what, or rather _who's_ the person you're with, you jolt out of the couch, stumbling to the floor. Your gaze takes the job of looking around to assess the situation, seeing Sans dozed off on the same corner and position you'd both watched the movie in. Your reflection on the television allows you to see marks on your cheek for how long you'd slept in that pose. The next thing on your mind's checking the time, urging you to search around for your phone and see it's seven in the morning, an hour of delay present in your schedule. 

If it was around eight when you sat down with him and the movie lasted around an hour and a half, you'd slept _way_ more than necessary. Not only that, but you'd slept on the same couch as the person you were still trying to sort out your feelings for. You try to make memory of what went on after the movie ended, yet it's all clouded after the credits rolled. 

The sound of the couch creaking makes you look back towards the skeleton to see he's woken up, irises looking lost for just a fraction of a second before he sees you on the floor. Amusement blooms on his face, and he doesn't comment anything as he offers his hand to you. You take it, albeit warily, taking caution on how much distance you keep between him and you. 

No matter what happened yesterday, you didn't want to let your guard down.

"From the looks of it," he says, grinning, "I'm guessin' you woke up first?"

You aim to reply, though a deep yawn intervenes, followed by you stretching your leftover grogginess away and holding back another yawn. When you're done, you take his hand again, surprised to see he's still waiting for you. "Yeah," you answer, sighing. "But do you… Do you remember what happened after the movie ended? My mind's all fuzzy."

He helps tug you off the floor, letting go when you're done. While you're still lost and disoriented, his face looks refreshed and his posture looks far more relaxed than you would ever expect it to be after spending so long sleeping that way, in a rigid and plain uncomfortable angle and with you weighing him down for what had to be longer than eight hours now. "Sorry to break it to ya, but ya fell asleep _wayyy_ before that, lady." He laughs, sitting up straighter. 

"So you just let me sleep on you the whole night?" You refuse to believe him, not only for how ridiculous that sounds, but for the hour it currently is, and what you had to do before going off to work. "I doubt it."

Too sudden for your liking, his expression changes from humored to tense, and his gaze diverts from yours. "You wanna know the full truth, then?"

You nod, wordlessly.

He lets out a sound between a huff and a chuckle, saying, "Frisk came in by the time the movie was almost over, blankets and all." His voice turns strained, and he has to take a break to recover, embarrassment clear in it. "They tucked us in and left without a word, so I, uh… I didn't really know what to do after that."

Your phone alarm goes off, cutting the conversation short. You pick it up, turn off the ringing, and fight back your curiosity over learning more about what happened last night, and just why you'd been so tired so as to remember that little about it. Your work schedule was no different than usual, and you were even working a bit less with the current weather, meaning there was no viable excuse for you to be defending your exhaustion. Even if you redeemed those lost hours by working extra shifts, and even if you were a lot more stressed with your research over monsters and which ones were safe to have around Frisk, that was no reason for you to be like this! 

Or you hoped so, at least.

If you were saving yourself some more time by not needing to search for local babysitters anymore all thanks to having Toriel and other monsters around to help you with that, and if you had time to spare like for the night spent at the hotel, you should have more than enough time to rest! 

You continue to fight back excuses and force yourself to focus on your goals. 

A knock on the door sounds, making you stop your inner conflict to go get it. 

Before you can even make a motion for the door though, Frisk rushes out of the hallway without sparing a glance at you or the monster and gets it, excitement clear and undoubted on their face. They stand on their tiptoes, let their mouth gape, and peek through the peephole before opening it. As soon as they do, their curious look changes for a smile. A bright grin shows up on their face and they swing open the door, plunging the visitor into a hug, your godmother's name being called out with it.

You're still adrift enough for your mind to short circuit over what's happening and for you to take a step back, sitting on the couch again. You're not sure what to do anymore, and even less what to say in response to it.

So far, you were plenty aware almost each and every monster Frisk knew had been involved one way or the other with the Royal Guard, leading to the conclusion they had all once sought after your kind.

_With that being said, what were you doing here, sleeping on the same couch with one of those people?_

_What confirmed Sans's explanation was in any way true, and what even guaranteed he wouldn't go back to his former self had he the remote chance to?_

You'd fallen asleep in the arms of the same man responsible for acting as a sentry; a (usually) restless guard on the lookout for any human who dared to venture into the Underground. You'd allowed him to enter your home, and had spent a night at the same hotel room as him. Even if he hadn't fulfilled his job as a sentry exactly as it was commanded to him, you were still cautious of his presence and the knowledge he tried to keep hidden by remaining mellow and unbothered.

He once used to engage in science, yet now he was simply selling hotdogs and flirting himself to dead ends with you!

"We can't let her see you," you blurt out, remembering who's visiting. "She'll _lose_ it if she thinks I'm dating you and that you sell hotdogs for a living!" Your words are hushed, yet your worries still show through, almost exclaimed weren't you reminding yourself to keep quiet.

The skeleton flares his nose cavity and quirks an eye socket, his grin tugging higher. "Fine with me. But how're those two even related, though?"

When you hear Frisk's ending their talk with her, you grab Sans by the arm and usher him off to the hallway with you. You open the nearest door available and push him into the room with you, the most predictable predicament possible showing up when you turn around, lie against the door, and see it's your bedroom, thankfully tidy for the public to see. 

"Trust me," you say, huffing, "She'll be angrier about those two things than the average human is over having to share the Surface with you guys." Feeling you need to clarify what that means, you compose yourself and sit down on the middle edge of your bed, folding your hands over your lap and propping a leg. Then, you face back to the skeleton, meeting his irises. "She doesn't hate monsters, but she's _very_ particular of who I let into my house after the whole thing with Jerry happened." 

"But what does my job gotta do with anythin'?" he asks, chuckling, "Is she the type who doesn't see those kinda jobs as real ones?"

"Not exactly," you say, shifting on your seat. Your eyes wander off to the nightstand next to you, and you consider what lies in its bottom drawer, deciding whether it would be appropriate to show him or not. "I'm a secretary, and I used to live from paycheck to paycheck; the both of us, actually." 

You take in a breath, deciding it really _isn't_ appropriate to show him yet; not now, and not months or even years later. "She doesn't hate people with common jobs, and she doesn't hate middle class people either, but…" You shift on your seat again, still needing to prepare to say the words, at least. "To quote her: _'Don't you ever_ _dare_ _bring someone else into this house again, unless they agree to use'_ …" Your face is burning, yet you remind yourself it's best to be honest. If the monster had been that way with you yesterday and if he wasn't toying around with you, you wanted to try doing the same. If he wasn't and you were exposing yourself far too much in comparison, his time would then come, and you would make sure never to trust him again. "... _'protection'_."

You point with your gaze at the drawer, your words and actions both revealing what you've kept hidden there for years past: the one thing Jerry had refused to use on the day you both shared your first night together.

Extremely awkward silence ensues.

You're still facing him directly, yet you can't bring yourself to break eye contact with him. "She gave me some a really, _really_ long time ago, so I'm pretty sure they don't even work anymore, but I still kept them to remind myself of my mistakes."

That seems to be enough for him to break the ice first, saying, _"Your_ mistakes?"

"Who else's fault could it be? If I hadn't let him, then maybe Frisk could've been living a much better life in the future. It was too early when we found out we were gonna be parents, and the first few years were full of struggle. I… I could've given Frisk a better life if I'd just refused to-"

You cut yourself off when you notice he's sat down next to you, keeping half an arm's length of distance between you. "You're worryin' too much about this." His gaze appears serious, though you don't want to take it that way, taking into account what you'd confessed to him just now, and the drawer still hiding your shame. "Maybe those first few years were tough, but I'd say the kid's pretty happy now, and from the looks of Jerry, he's too. Even if he's bein' a real jealous jerk 'bout it these days." 

Too caught up in your thoughts, you don't notice you're tearing up until a drop falls on your lap, pajamas soaking it in.

"You should throw those away." A hint of mirth mixes with his concern, and his distance's now a hand's length away. "...Not only 'cause they're _way_ past expired, but 'cause you're only torturin' yourself, always keeping 'em there."

You move closer to him, vanishing what distance remains as you let him hold your hand, eyes fixed on his face. "I-"

"Oh, _hell_ no!"

By the voice alone and its sheer strength, you can already tell it's game over for you.

Your godmother stands by the open door, shifting her pronounced and unwavering glare between you and the monster. She takes in the situation, from the sight of a stranger in your bedroom, to you holding hands with him, and the fact you both still look like you've just woken up. While you don't blame her for assuming, you don't want to bring up discussions like those again. You were done with relationship drama for a lifetime, not just for how bad you were at managing stress, but for the needless trouble it could bring to the remote lifestyle you've built through the years, keeping to yourself without getting yourself too involved in the lives of others, no matter family, friend, or partner. 

She enters the bedroom when the monster greets her in, a quick and simple 'nice to meet you' sufficient for her to stop near the door and settle all her attention on him.

"So you're (Y/N)'s godmother, right?"

Sans stands up, his tone and posture both on equal levels formal as he offers his hand out to her. "I'm Comic Sans Serif. Former servant of the Royal Guard." She takes it, keeping a wary eye on him. "Our relationship right now's the definition of 'it's complicated', but we're still pretty good friends."

"Define 'pretty good', mister Serif," she demands, keeping her hand in his. "Are you her cut buddy or something of the like? …You don't really look like the most promising type of guy, I'll admit."

"Frankly, we're still working things out, but I don't really mind bein' her 'cut buddy', if that's what ya wanna call it."

While you would like to kick both him and your godmother out or call them out on their blunt and plain audacious commentary, you stay back and watch as a dangerous, downright preying look unfolds from your godmother's gaze. She shakes his hand, but _way_ too hard for it not to hurt even for someone made primarily out of bones and magic. She squeezes hard enough to make them pop and for you to hiss in response to the pain he's being brought into. When she lets go, her gaze more than precipitates itself on you, capturing you similar to how a snake would do with a mouse. "My flight got delayed, I almost lost my soul with how much turbulence there was on the way here, and I'm still jetlagged." Her scowl's as deep as her furrow, worsening by the second. "So either you explain to me what the hell went on these past few months, or we're going to have to talk soon."

You're not going down without a fight, confident in yourself or not.

"I'm a grown woman already," you reply, matching her scowl with a glare. "That was eight years ago, Brenda. I'm thankful for the help you gave me back then, but I don't need you lecturing me over who I should date anymore."

"I should if the guy you're dating _willingly_ admits what's going on between you!"

"It's not like that! He's just... bad at first impressions." You face his side for a moment, seeing he's still adjusting his hand back to mobility. " _Believe_ me when I say it. It took me a blackout and a stormy night after a whole month or two of awful flirting to realize he's not as obnoxious as you think he is the first time you meet him."

"Do you even _hear_ what you're saying right now, (Y/N)?" she snaps, stomping her foot and crossing her arms. "Are you _really_ gonna let something like that happen again? He sounds worse than Jerry!"

"I've been alone since he and I ended." You try not to let your voice crack or falter, determined to be just as strong as her. "I get that I screwed up that time, but I've _learned_ and I'm still learning even now. You don't have to rub it in!"

"Oh, _please."_ Brenda rolls her eyes and throws her arms up in the air, scoffing. "Then _cry_ about it, why don't you? I just want what's best for y-"

"Then maybe I will, dammit." 

You wipe a tear off your cheek, scowl, and head out of the room, not bothering to look back.

"Say whatever you wanna say about me," you add, keeping your back to her. "But _don't_ drag him into this. I feel bad enough as it is not being able to be fully honest over how I even feel about him yet." You clench your hands and spare one final glance at her, holding back tears. "He's technically not joking. I… I could've told him to stop trying to flirt with me, and I could've said no when he offered to take me out for dessert, but I still went with it. And now I'm denying what's happening, l- leading him on knowing I can't devote myself to another relationship as serious as the last, and… And k- knowing I still _hate_ myself for it." You wipe away the wetness on your cheeks, sniffling to prevent things from getting messier. "Everything feels like it's changing, except for me!" You pause and take a break, regaining calm through a breath. "Frisk brought an entire civilization back with them here, you moved away as soon as you found a better job, and all the close friends I used to have are gone." 

Another break, and another breath.

"Do I really... Do I _really_ have no right to move on?"


	22. 18 - Walkie Talkie Man

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/XnsZDIqlYKY)

_Random Useless Fun Fact Time_

_This chapter as well as most of the 'humour' ~~(meaning: I'm trying)~~ established in this fanfic was inspired by both the cover of this song and the game it's featured in (Elite Beat Agents)!_

* * *

_Jerry watches as the monster hangs an arm around (Y/N)'s shoulders, bringing her nearer to him. A sheepish smile reaches her face and she looks down at her lap, avoiding eye contact with him. He, on the other hand, grins, saying, "W.D. won't be home tonight, and my bro'll be sleepin' by then." He pulls her closer, making her sit on his lap. Heights changing, she faces down and hesitates when placing her hand on his chest to keep herself balanced. "Whaddya say you come over tonight?"_

_A sour feeling develops itself in the pit of Jerry's stomach, making him complain with a scoff._

_"...So you still call him W.D.?" she asks, frowning. "Is he… Is he treating you guys alright?"_

_"He treats us fine. It's just we don't really get along too well." Sans leans forward, grin growing as he stays millimeters away from her face. "But enough about that, though. I wanna know your answer." He grabs the back of her neck, pulling her in for a quick kiss. "There's... somethin' else I've been meaning to ask you, by the way."_

_She lifts a brow and moves back a bit, curiosity making her posture turn rigid. “What is it?”_

_He keeps her balanced through means of magic while he looks to his side and searches through his backpack. From there, he takes out a small box, about half the size of his palm, and hands it over. His gaze appears tense while he waits, though it fades away when she opens it and gasps._

_Jerry more than loses it when he sees what’s going on. The world around him begins to fade, and he can’t tell if it’s due to his growing anger, or if it’s all just one big nightmare his mind decided to conjure for him._

_Sans was a science nerd, and (Y/N) was a literature nerd. Jerry was the football jock._

_She was supposed to end up with him, and not another nerd!_

_“You… You want to marry me?” he hears her say, words exclaimed. “I- Isn’t it too soon?”_

_He hears Sans laugh, the plain and utter cheekiness of that sound making him want to fight the nerd with his bare hands._

_And he wasn’t even a_ **_real_ ** _nerd to begin with!_

_He was laid-back, dressed casually, and didn’t even fret over grades like other nerds did. His only quality was that he was intelligent and that he had an overall weird obsession over the concepts of space and time, both separately and as a joint._

_“This’s for after we graduate high school,” he explains. “I’d like to know your answer by your first year in college.”_

_Her frown returns. She sets the ring aside to hold his shoulders again, staring him down. “So you’re… You're not going? I thought you wanted to be a scientist, just like him... But better.”_

_“I’d like to, but I can’t.”_

_There’s a long term of silence between them, one in which Jerry hopes is a sign they’ll break up._

_“Why not?”_

_Having his hold on her again, Sans stops using magic and meets with her gaze, a steely look present in his. His smile’s barely there, and there’s a shade of grey under his sockets, exposing lack of sleep. “We’re not wanted in schools anymore. Monsters, I mean.” He looks away from her side, leading Jerry to hide from his line of sight. “And this timeline just doesn’t feel right. It’s great that you rescued our kind, that we got to study in your schools for a whole year, and I’m happy to be with you… But it still feels different, as if somethin’s missing.”_

_When both he and (Y/N) catch sight of Jerry spying on them, the world wavers once more and begins to crumble until it’s not recognizable anymore._

Jerry wakes up with a gasp, coughing for air as he stirs back to action, opening his eyes to see he’s sitting at a table, the word _‘Muffet’s'_ flashing in purple neon from the sign set up outside. Large glass windows help him see the outside world in more detail. When he looks to the front, he flinches and has to hold back a scream, witnessing an older Sans sat across from him. Looking at his reflection in the mirror to see he’s also aged a bit more helps him realize all of that really was just a dream. How he’d straight-up fallen asleep in a diner was far beyond his knowledge, though.

“You okay there, buddy?” Sans asks, chuckling. “You passed out the moment we made our order.”

He yawns and stretches his exhaustion away, glaring at the skeleton when he’s done. “How... How long was I out?”

“About ten minutes. Food should be here soon, so maybe that’ll get ya workin’ again.”

“Don’t mock me, bro. I’m too tired to fight with you.”

“I’m not. I really wanna know if you’re feelin’ okay, though. It looked like you were havin' a nightmare with how scrunched up your face was.”

“A nightmare _you_ were in.” Jerry scowls, sitting up straight to peer down at the monster. “I don't like you, and I don’t want your pity.”

Sans shrugs, snickering as he sits back, appearing unfazed even as Jerry continues to glower at him. “Suit yourself, then. But you really should get some rest soon. And drivin’ while you’re like that ain’t the safest option either, so maybe I should drive when we’re done here.”

“Like hell you will.”

Jerry stands up and tries to leave, yet his knees buckle. He's brought down to one knee on the tiled floor, reflexes helping him avoid making a complete fool of himself. He stays facing down for awhile, too angry, tired, and embarrassed to glance over at his companion.

"Stay and eat somethin'," he hears him say, patience tracing his tone. "Don't keep pushin' yourself so hard. It's bad for your health."

"Gross," Jerry says, scoffing. He stands up and faces Sans with a glare, more intense than before. "Why do you care so much about me anyway? Are... Are you _gay_ or something? Are you compensating by dating (Y/N)? Is… Is that it?" His eyes turn wet, his body shakes, and his voice breaks. "I… I don't want us to be friends anymore. I'm _sick_ of it, and I'm _sick_ of-"

He can't bring himself to say that last word. 

He wasn't sick of the monster, but of himself instead.

Two of the few people he'd found attractive, both emotionally and visually, were dating each other. He didn't care if his ex was dating someone else, but he _did_ care about her dating the guy he'd fallen for the moment he rambled on about science, and about how much he liked someone else. His irises carried a light so bright to them and his voice a passion so prevalent, he couldn't help falling for him even if he'd been talking about that girl he liked, who only then turned out to be the one woman he'd devoted years of dating and friendship with, all to end the day she came to him with a pregnancy test marking positive.

"I…" He brings a hand to his forehead and sighs, sitting back down. "I'm sorry." As if things couldn't be more shameful to him, he sobs and brings his face to his palms, breaking down against them. "I don't hate you, man. Far from it." He jolts when he feels Sans's hand on his arm, worsening his sorrow. "You- You've been a good friend, and… And you're _clearly_ getting along with (Y/N), too, from the looks of it. I just wish I could change the past, at least to the point where I didn't completely abandon the only woman I fell so strongly for." He moves his hands back and faces towards the monster, choking back another sob. "It sucks that the only two people I've liked that much are dating each other, but I want to improve myself. I… I _really_ don't want to be like this anymore."

He feels cold when Sans pulls his hand away. His shoulders taut up and he has to compose himself, needing some strength to carry on.

"What can I do to improve?" He's finally able to face Sans, though he still has trouble meeting with his irises.

The monster sits back and nudges the napkin dispenser closer to him. "Well, first of all," he says, waiting for Jerry to take one. "You need to get back in shape. Sleep, eat well, and maybe look for some help on how you can lessen your drinking habits."

"Is it really that noticeable?"

"If you're askin' for my honest opinion, then yeah. I've hung around Grillby's customers long enough to know when someone's hungover, even if they're tryna cover up." A bear waiter arrives, handing over two drinks; both sodas, but of different flavors. Sans takes his, drinking some of it before continuing. "If you really wanna keep bein' Frisk's dad, you need to work with that first. I've only got so much knowledge on how the human mind works, so it's better if you look for professional help to guide you back to a stable path." He sets the glass down, ice cubes clinking.

"The only other advice I could give you," he interrupts his sentence with a chuckle, a bit of regret mixing with humor, "...is to stop tryna get along with (Y/N). Give her some space, and focus on improving yourself more like you said you wanted while that's underway." He looks more tense now, making Jerry widen his eyes as he waits to see what the monster will say next. "It kinda feels like I pushed too hard, tryna form a relationship with her. Dunno if that tainted the possibility for a deeper relationship, but I kinda wish I'd picked up some more clues about how she felt about dating, and just why someone with her attitude put up with mine." He rubs the back of his neck, and another laugh makes its way out of him. "Maybe it's not on the same level as you, but that's how you feel about her sometimes, right? Like you could've approached the situation differently?"

Jerry nods and later hums in agreement. "I just wish I hadn't left her alone with Frisk for all those years." He takes a sip off his drink, throat scratching with how dry it is. "She had to take them inside _college_ rooms, just to take a test she couldn't make another date for. She… She tried calling me so many times, j- just to ask if I could watch over Frisk for a few hours, and- and I still didn't. I… I just hung up on her every single time, until she got sick of me and said I wasn't allowed to be Frisk's father anymore."

Despite the topic, both men stay quiet when they see the bear returning, both their orders set on a tray and balanced out on each hand.

Jerry sighs, regains some composure, and thanks the waiter, later watching as Sans does the same. When he sees him set the tray down, he also notices his phone's buzzing, its tone set on silence.

"...(Y/N)'s calling you."

Sans looks over to where his eyes point at, picking up the phone just as it's on the second buzz. His face lightens up, leaving Jerry to swallow his pride as he tries not to overhear the call. He distracts himself with his food, though he can still listen in to bits of their conversation.

"Sure. I can pick 'em up at your place, if you want."

(Y/N)'s voice is faint and undecipherable from the other line, though her emotions are made clear, even more so when the skeleton grins while talking with her.

"Don't trust me in your house anymore, huh? I get it."

She sounds a bit louder this time, as if rushing to fix her words.

"I'm pullin' your leg. Just lemme know the time, and I'll set things up so we can work on it."

Her voice again.

"You really don't need to. I'll pick 'em up."

Jerry swallows a bit of his food too early, making him rush for his drink, the burn in his chest being nothing in comparison to how awfully perfect the timing for her call was. It's as if he's having salt, if not acid rubbed on his wounds, reminding him of where and what he'd failed at, and what he needed to overcome now to improve himself. He lets gloom take him over, though he soon brushes it aside when he sees Sans's irises light up and the faintest blush spread on his cheekbones.

"...You, too."

His voice is as faint as the wind, though he coughs to recover from it.

"See you then, (nickname)."

At the sound of that name coming from someone else besides him, Jerry feels a burn in his heart again, though it's not the food to blame this time. It'd been years since he last said it, and since she'd last called him anything besides 'Jerry'. They'd given each other nicknames since their senior year in highschool, when things were developing well and steady. To think he and (Y/N) had been high school sweethearts at one point, only to then witness it all end in less than a year after their marriage made his sorrow return. Now, as he sees her move on more and more each day, he's beginning to realize how much had gone to waste in so short of a time.

The delight in the skeleton's face is as clear as day when he hangs up. Even if he's trying his best not to let it show, it leaks through the rhythmic tap of his fingers on the table while he scrolls through his phone for a moment, apparently setting up an alarm based on the sound that pops up and the adjustment of its volume. It shows through the subtle curve of his grin and the white light of his irises, holding a different look to them than usual. It shows through how he has to adjust his posture to keep his cool, and how his gaze glances one final time at his phone to make sure he set up the alarm properly. And it shows through the melancholic note in his voice before he scratches it back to normal again.

The more Jerry looks at him, the more he's reminded of his failures. Eight years back, he would've never imagined someone else replacing him and the longing he displayed for (Y/N) day-by-day. Eight years back, he would've never imagined his future child would be receiving support and parental care from anyone else besides him and his then wife. 

But here he was now, watching as his only other crush after those eight years passed scheduled time out of his work day to spend with both his ex wife and her child.

Life be like that sometimes.


	23. Extra 1.1 - The Chemical Formula of Love, Part 1 of 3

The following is a short, text-based extra foreshadowing at chapter 20's events and consequently, the end of Story Arc #2.

From here on, all story extras (such as Love in the times of corona, to be posted after chapter 20) will be published on Saturdays, while regular updates will continue to be on Sundays.

If you happen to use Tap, then you can read the extra on there at your own pace, and if you don't, you can click on the YouTube video to watch it!

(More information about what this is can be found on the video's description and further down below on here.)

**YouTube Version:**

[TraInt Extra 1.1](http://www.youtube.com/embed/nhFxBclch4I)

**Tap Version:**

[TraInt Extra 1.1](https://taptap.app.link/MF6YOrtba9)

* * *

I don't plan to use neither YouTube nor Tap as platforms for publishing stuff (I am but a simple, old-fashioned, mediocre fanfic writer), but I _will_ be using them as a way to share this type of content with y'all.

This's kind of a practice I'm doing, since I'll be working on some plays and stuff for classwork, and I'm trying to set up moods and atmospheres by using different kinds of media.

So yeah, that's about it!

Take care, and stay safe out there. :-)


	24. 19 - Material Girl

[BGM](https://youtu.be/2SjTkSV3Pgo)

With half a week having passed since your godmother’s visit, it’s time to sit down and talk with her in a calmer manner.

The shopping district’s as busy as the roads you’ve just driven by, food courts the most bustling with the hour your phone marks: ten minutes past noon. Contraire to her punctual self, Brenda’s running late, though you settle for waiting ten more before sending her a message. You sit by an empty booth and take the last chair available in the row to avoid disturbing those who’re already eating. Then, you take your planner out, passing through a few pages until you find the right one.

Aside from your usual week, you had her visiting again this Friday, a meeting with Toriel regarding some plans she wanted to discuss with you on Saturday, and another one with Sans on Sunday to arrange the second step towards homeschooling Frisk while you managed to enroll them somewhere else.

It’s still hard to read that word, not for what it was, but for the fact that almost every school you’d tried to sign them up into declined having other guardians aside from you to pick them up. They declined Toriel just as much as they declined Undyne, all due to the new rules and regulations set up in schools since the monsters’ arrival. What Toriel wanted to discuss with you was related to that, though you hadn’t been given too many details as to what it was, exactly. 

You glance back to your phone to see more than ten minutes have passed by already, yet Brenda's still nowhere to be seen. You begin typing up a message, only to be interrupted by her call.

The device almost slips off your hands with how abrupt it is.

“H- Hello?” you answer, catching your breath.

She screams an accusation at you, not an ill-minded one per se, but one questioning over why you’d kept information hidden from her.

“Why didn’t you tell me you’re _that_ close to him already?” she asks, words jarringly loud. You have to turn down the volume despite it not being set on speakerphone. “So he's going to help you with Frisk? That’s serious boyfriend material, dear!”

Thankfully, she sounds happy.

Still, a correction's deemed necessary.

“What do you mean, Brenda?”

“ _Auntie_ Brenda, mind you.”

You huff and bring a hand to the side of your neck, tension consuming it. “Alright, _Auntie_ Brenda… Where are you right now? I don’t have much break time left anymore.”

“Just go ahead and eat, dear. I’ll come over on the weekend.”

Right as you’re about to complain over her choices, she speaks up again, calmer than before.

“Or why not come over after you have lunch there?” she asks, words cooed. “You work close to him, right?”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll stay here.” You can’t help feeling a little sour over her suggestion, reminding yourself you’d waited twenty-five minutes for her at the mall. With the call, it’s now five past thirty, giving you barely sufficient time for you to eat, let alone listen to her rambling over how she’d misinterpreted your relationship and how he was better than she expected. That reminds you over her well-meaning yet rough personality, making you continue with, “You didn’t bother him with questions about his job, right? He’s-”

“Why would I? He’s working an office job just like you!"

“He, _what?”_

You can’t avoid blurting that question out, the image of him working at the hot dog stand completely replaced by a blank canvas. You try to imagine him working an office job, but it's near impossible to. Even if he knew plenty on various subjects, the monotonous yet fast-paced ambience of a desk job didn’t quite fit with your view of who the monster was to you.

“He works an office job, dear. Don’t you know where your own _boyfriend_ even works?” You can almost hear her shaking her head, disappointment made known through the blatant change in her voice. “Shame on you!”

You pinch the bridge of your nose and stand up, too vexed to sit still. “That’s not what I meant, Bre- ... _Auntie_ Brenda,” you say, trailing off on your words. “I just… didn’t know he worked two jobs.”

“He _does?!”_

You lower the volume once more, her voice taking up a speakerphone quality to it again. Her voice then grows fainter as she questions the skeleton with her about the truth of your statement or not. When her voice grows loud again, you figure he’s given her an answer, one you’re not too sure what to expect from. If he really had two jobs, then you’re not quite certain whether she’ll be reacting in a positive way or not. If he didn’t, then you’d inadvertently put him on the spot by letting the truth known, something that didn’t really make sense if he was supposed to be working, or at the very least ending his lunch break right now.

Feeling it’s going to take awhile, you stand in line at one of the fast-food establishments nearest to you, a growl from your stomach reminding you time’s running out. “So what did he say?” you speak up, knowing she’s getting distracted again.

“He _does!”_ she exclaims, almost in a cheer. “Why didn’t you tell me he was _that_ well-off, then? You should marry him now that you’ve got the chance to.”

“Weren’t you scolding me over the opposite barely a week ago?”

“Maybe so, but that was _before_ I knew him better, dear!”

You roll your eyes and sigh, headache worsening. “Alright, I’m hanging up now. Don’t bother him too much and stop interrupting his-”

“Wait,” she calls, excitement still there. “Have you ever thought about taking a lesson on monsters? There’s a bunch of workshops going on right now… And I figured you could take one, since you’re dating one and all!”

Being almost time for you to make your order, you let your voice become sterner, hoping to get your point across. “That... sounds good and all, but I really need to go now, Auntie Brenda. My lunch break’s almost over.”

She huffs. _“Fine.”_ Her voice comes out dragged, and it’s almost possible for you to hear her pouting. “But we need to talk all about this on Friday!”

“Sure. See you then.”

“Farewell, dear!”

You hang up and slip your phone back in your bag, turning to the register when you’re done, right on time to make your order.

* * *

“So,” the monster says, hands slipping in his pockets. An awkward stiffness takes over his shoulders, and his gaze takes some time to meet with yours. “You heard about it from her first, huh?”

You take a sip of water, needing to cool off. “Yes,” you reply, taking some painkillers out of your bag. The headache’s still going strong, even after having ended work an hour ago. “Are you really working an office job now? ...What about your other one?” Catching on to how invasive you’re being, you take another sip to bring the pills down and breathe in deep. “Sorry if it seems like I’m being nosy, but… I just want to know if you quit selling hot dogs because of me.” It’s a strange sentence no matter how you look at it, and even more so when you consider the on and off romantic relationship you share with the monster; or to put it bluntly: a friend with benefits, or a cut buddy, as your godmother had so accused him of. “I… feel like I’m responsible for this, so I’d really like to know.”

Sans grins, takes his drink, and swishes it around. “And that’s exactly why I didn’t wanna tell you yet.” He sets it down, breaking eye contact with you to retrieve something from his suitcase. When he finds the item, he places it on the table, revealing a yellow folder about as thick as the menu left beside you, open to display a wide array of desserts, one you'd tried the evening before you stayed with him at the hotel, and the other you had today as a way to make an impromptu meeting with him about what happened earlier today with your godmother's own fair share of invasiveness. “I know it seems _way_ too coincidental, but I really am workin’ in an office now.”

You take the folder, setting it in front of you and keeping a hand over it.

“It’s about that thing Tori wants to talk about with you.”

He tugs at his jacket’s sleeve, the sight making you take in the oddity of his looks right now, wearing suit and tie. He’s like a whole other person today, the main two things to remind you he’s still the same as before being his low voice and mellow personality. Even his posture and body language are different, as if to match with the formality of his attire. 

“Open it,” he urges, facing your eyes again. “It’ll kinda spoil the surprise she has for you, but I think I owe you a better explanation after what happened today."

You consider his words and eye him for a moment. While he has a more proper posture, the monster’s the same one you met months ago. He’s still himself, formal wear or not. “It’s… It's fine,” you say, smiling. “I’ll wait until Saturday.”

Tension seems to let him go, yet he still replies with, “You can open it, really. Tori said it was fine, and that she could use the extra time this saves up to take you somewhere with her.”

“...Is it really okay?” You pull your hand back from the folder, emphasizing your words.

Sans nods, sighing the rest of his rigidity away. “Go ahead.”

Doing as told, you tear the folder open as carefully as you’re capable of, preventing tears and potential damage to the documents waiting inside. From there, you retrieve a single sheet of paper first, its texture rough and giving out at being far more important than all the other documents found under it. You turn it around, the words ‘Frisk (L/N)’ and ‘student’ instantly pairing up and clicking into your mind. There’s a school under Toriel’s name written down, along with a stamp of its logo and motto. 

“I…”

You can’t find the right words to say to him. It worsens when you decide to take a peek at another document, seeing your name right in the middle. It's not quite as thick as the previous paper, but it still holds potential for a new future. Besides Toriel's stamp of approval and a small paragraph stating the terms, a single, empty line waits for you at the bottom, your signature the only thing missing for the agreement to be made.

“This is…” You shudder out a gasp, almost forgetting to breathe.

The skeleton beats you to it, saying, “Tori’s school finally got approved, and she was thinking of having you and Frisk in it.” You face to his side, holding back a flinch when you notice he’s moved closer to you, the table helping you keep some distance between you.

“Whaddya say, (Y/N)?” he asks. “Ya don’t have to answer right away, but… Just know the offer’s up, and that we see you guys as a family.”

You hoist yourself over the table and hug him, using that as a way to replace any words you could possibly say to the monster in front of you. He returns it, maintaining his hold on you until you break it apart, a bit complicated to do when you notice you’re letting yourself get sentimental again. That allows your mind to drift back to the past and the more recent memory of Brenda’s visit.

“Thank you...” Your words come off in a murmur, lacking anything to say even now. You sniffle to restrain the emotions forming up inside, from disbelief and contentment, to melancholy and excitement. Were this a movie and were you on closer terms with the monsters, you would’ve imagined kissing him in the sheer spur of the moment, unresolved tension and personal limitations teaming up to delay any progress of that kind with him. “So you... I take it you’re in charge of keeping finances in order while her school finally opens?” you ask, changing the topic. You need time to think, just like he’d mentioned. Having Frisk study in Toriel’s school didn’t seem like a bad choice if you were going to be paying for it, and if it would help bring more word out about her school. You working there was a whole other story, finding the offer a bit too good to be true, not because of the goat lady, but due to it feeling like you were straight-up taking advantage of her and all the other monsters’ kindness. 

“Precisely,” he replies, grinning. His expression freezes up a bit and it’s only when he sits back down that it loosens, the propinquity left between you after the hug having kept itself present without you acknowledging it by full. “I can work the numbers fast, so that way Alphys can focus more on plannin' out the structure and how science class will be laid out, since we all wanna leave things runnin' well before we can start employing any other monsters.” He meets your eyes again, winking at you. “And of course, any cute human who’s willing to help us out.”

You look away, feeling your face turn warm. “I'll… I’ll think about it.” Then, you look back to him, a question popping into your thoughts. “But what service could I provide you with? I only managed to get an Associate's in (Field) and a Minor in Business with what, well... happened in the past.”

“You say that like it’s nothing," he replies, chuckling. “You could easily take up three different positions with those preparations you've got.” Then, he sits back, taking the check when a bunny waitress arrives with it. “You’ll see what I mean when you talk with Tori this Saturday. Can’t really keep spoilin’ the surprise for you anymore.”

Beat to it, you put your wallet away and shift on your seat. “Alright,” you say, taking the folder with you. “But could I still make it up to you somehow? I know Brenda can be a bit, well... tough to handle, so it's only fair I do."

“I’m perfectly fine meeting up like this. And she came by right as I was about to clock out, so I’d say it’s no big deal, but…" He trails off to stare at you, done with paying up. "If this's just a sly excuse for us to keep hanging out, then I'm all on board with it."


	25. 20 - Mother, Mother

[ BGM ](https://youtu.be/oiKZyQcOsm8)

"C'mon, mom. We're gonna be late!"

You smile down at Frisk and watch as they tug at the sleeve of your shirt to try pull you along with them. The door's been left open by them, and even though those meant to pick you up for the event aren't here yet, they still urge you to go outside and wait.

"It's still seven, honey. We've got plenty of time." You grab their hand and put a stop to their energy, facing their eyes. "Are you _that_ excited over starting school?"

They nod, grinning. "Even more if you're gonna be working there, too!"

Your smile falls as you remember the folder Sans had given you. It had been thrown into a corner of your bookshelf since that day, and you'd been too reluctant to look at it anymore ever since then; your fear over the possibilities that laid ahead overcame any courage you had left in you. You didn't want to take their kindness and help for granted, just as much as you didn't want to forget about what monsters had once been capable of. 

Your godmother was right in terms of you needing to know more about monsters, so you've established it upon yourself to ask Sans about it later today. You wanted to ask about books on his kind and finally be upfront about your feelings, even if that was easier said than done. Not only had you crossed far too many boundaries with him already, but you were still keeping your dubious relationship with him all while still continuing to be wary over his kind for their past. 

In short, hipocrisy's beginning to absorb you bit by bit, and today's your very first attempt at trying to break free from it. Whether you succeed or not doesn't matter. Trying, on the contrary, does. Even the slightest amount of information could help in setting your thoughts straight about monsters, and perhaps to stop you from comparing them with Jerry ever since he acted up that day with you back at the beach.

To put it this way: you couldn't allow yourself one thing if you were allowing the other to continue happening. 

After all, why were you willing to engage in a relationship with someone like Sans, rumored to have once confronted your kind at Snowdin, when you were still far from forgiving and much less forgetting Jerry over abandoning Frisk for so many years?

Why were you willing to befriend someone like Alphys, who'd been close to ending up in jail due to the failed experiments made on those of her own kind?

Why were you willing to book a night at Mettaton's hotel, knowing he'd once set Frisk into danger greater than any other monster you knew had, Undyne being a close second?

Even someone like Papyrus had attacked them once! 

"Mom," Frisk calls out, tugging your hand. "You look angry. Are… Are you okay?"

You nod and let out a breath, composing yourself. "I'm fine, honey."

"Are you… Are you still thinking about avenging me?"

Your eyes shoot wide open at that, and you can't avoid suspecting they have the capability of reading your mind. 

Regardless of their word choice, you were, in a sense, wanting to avenge them from anyone who'd once caused them harm, be it Jerry, the monsters, or the loud and nosy neighbour from next door wondering why Frisk liked playing with action figures just as much as they did playing with fairies and princesses. They'd taken the initiative to defend themselves more than you had on that area though, as the very next day, Frisk stood out at the front yard's garden to play as they usually did, but only while wearing a superhero shirt, a cape, a tiara, and a skirt this time, just to get their point across. 

_"Mom!"_

Hearing their whine of concern, you snap out of it and look down to see they've let go of your hand, both their arms now being outstretched and in wait for your embrace. 

"Do you want a hug?"

Your smile returns at that, albeit a bit more melancholic compared to the first time. You crouch down to their height and pull them in for a hug, sighing when you have them safe in your hold. 

"You don't need to protect me _that_ much, mom!" they say, letting go. "I know all the monsters well, so I'd tell you if any one of them's bugging me. You don't need to hate them for my sake, and you don't have to compare them to dad, either. You should get to know them on your own first, and not just based on who they are to me. Because if this's really all up to me, then the only one I don't really like is…" 

At that, they stop, bringing a finger to their chin and tapping it, delving deep in their thoughts.

"Huh…" They tap their chin again, and their gaze turns furrowed, scrunching up the more they think about it. "I mean, I don't really know if I dislike any of them… I just know I wanna have friends!"

"Even if they intentionally _hurt_ you?"

"You don't understand, mom! They.. They didn't hurt me like tha-"

"They _did_ hurt you, and that's exactly why I don't want to date someone like-" 

You stop yourself, failing to say his name. 

Taking in a sharp breath, you prepare yourself to say it again. 

"That's… That's exactly why I don't want to date someone like… like _him."_

Once more, you fail on saying it. 

"Someone like who?"

Rather than angry, the voice behind you sounds hurt, though knowing who he is, what level he shows of it barely scratches the surface. You turn around and see Sans waiting for you, along with Papyrus's car parked right by the sidewalk, the open door revealing he's also there, sitting at the driver's seat. Luckily, he doesn't see you looking at his direction and continues to observe your neighbourhood from the comfort of his convertible.

Sans takes a step forward, irises dim as he meets with your eyes.

You look between him and Frisk and decide it's best to send the latter off with Papyrus while you resolve matters with the former. Frisk signs an agreement and takes off. They say nothing else as they pass by, close the door, and leave, giving you privacy.

When the door clicks, you're left standing in front of the monster, the elephant in the room refusing to be addressed by you. 

He does it instead, saying, "Do you hate me, (Y/N)?"

Despite his approach being as mellow as any other day spent with him, you feel backed up into a corner, and it becomes necessary for you to sit down and offer him the same thing. It's silent throughout, and while you would like to say it's all one big misunderstanding, it isn't. There's a bit of truth hidden in your statement regarding why you couldn't date him officially yet, not only for what you confessed to him the day your godmother came over to your home, but for more reasons that were yet to be resolved by full.

"I don't. And I don't really hate any other monster, a- and not even _Jerry_ , either. I only dislike him, if anything. But I… I-" 

You huff and glance down, passing a hand across your face. 

"I know that, in one way or the other, I contributed to what happened, just as I did by letting Frisk run away that second time contributed in making them end up at the Underground." His confrontation serves as a way to finally stop, ponder, and determine whether the attraction you feel for him's at a shallow level, or if you like him more beyond the loneliness left behind from eight years of isolation and self-restraint. "Could I… test something out for a moment?" You place a hand on his arm, hoping to get the point across through the careful brush of your fingers against it.

He seems to catch on quickly, a bashful look replacing his grimmer expression, if only briefly. "...Later," he says, "But right now, I'd like to know your answer first."

You nod, sighing as you scoot back and let yourself find ease. Your eyes close and you perform a quick series of breathing exercises, these you end when you feel more certain over what you're going to do. 

"Could I ask why Frisk doesn't feel this way about you guys? Why they… Why they insist on being your kinds' friend, and while I keep on wanting to defend them instead?" You're fighting between a smile and a frown, conflict taking control of your thoughts. "They… They're my only _child,_ Sans! Do you really expect me to let this go, j- just like that?" You stop, feeling your body shake and shed a cold sweat. "I hated Jerry for so long, b- but then I turned those feelings against myself when I realized I let myself be convinced by him so easily, and how that simple agreement I made led to so much more down the road." Again, you stop, needing another moment to breathe and sort yourself out. "How can I not be careful around you, Sans... When you stepped into my life like it was nothing? Like I hadn't been trying to stay alone for eight years, in fear I could make another mistake and… And hurt my child again? I like you, Sans, but I... I just can't let this go so easily."

Quietude falls upon the room as you stare at each other.

Sans's look softens on par with yours.

"Life ain't always gonna be black and white, (Y/N); there's always a grey area hidden somewhere," he says, sitting straighter as he sighs. "And maybe it sounds real hypocrite of me to be sayin' this, 'cause it pretty much looks like I just wanna defend myself, but…" He scoots closer and stares up at you again, a serious look returning to his irises. "You can't live without causing hurt, whether you want it or not. Even for the small n' trifling stuff, you can still interfere in some way." Now it's his turn to stop, seeking calm through the comfort of having someone listen out to him. "When you get employed, you're leavin' someone else without a job. When you walk too slow on a sidewalk, you're probably makin' someone run late somewhere else. When you say no to your kid or scold 'em when they do somethin' wrong, you're making 'em upset at you. But that's all part of life." 

He sighs, a grin showing up and later faltering as he huffs and covers his face with his hands. 

"My kind was _desperate_ for a change. We all were. Even me." He looks up again, a few tears hanging on the edges of his sockets. "So in the end, yeah, damage was done by those livin' before me, my bro, and everyone else you've met so far. But this time, when we saw another option was possible… One where we didn't need to keep on sacrificing humans for their souls, we took that possibility and went with it. Frisk gave us another path, and we took it. I didn't have to stain my hands, and nobody else aside from those who've been before us did, either. We went after them at first, but then things changed, and we were finally able to make friends with them and other humans, instead of just keeping on with the life the Royal Guard mistakenly continued to guide us through; the path we continued to take for so long."

He breaks, head hung low as he lets tears fall, these he tries to wipe away, failed try after failed try following his actions. 

"I dunno if Frisk's ever mentioned this to you, but… There were different points in history where your kind _did_ hurt mine badly, and where I felt an anger so strong against yours, I… I thought I'd never be able to return and recover from that again; that it would stay in the deep back of my mind, and that it would surface when I least expected it to. It was different this time. They were their own person when they fell, as so are you. They made the choice to give us mercy despite knowing we'd hurt them at one point, and I was able to let go of those faint memories over what once was and what had been. I was able to overcome that and find an attraction I'd never thought possible through you." 

He sighs, his next words murmured. 

"...Love. _Romantic_ love."

Sans looks up, revealing a mess of tears. He grabs your hand and faces you again; a shaky grin takes up his skull. "I was able to set aside the hatred I felt for past times, and the hatred I felt towards myself, all to focus on how I could love; how I could finally live in peace and focus my energy on makin' new friends, livin' a new life, and gettin' myself to flirt with you, all in selfish hopes for you to return that one day." He holds your hand stronger and his grin falters again. "So when you did, only to then realize you were holdin’ yourself back in your own way, I felt terrible. It felt like I'd used you, and like I'd pushed you too far to like me."

His fingers interlock with yours and his body presses up against yours, leaving you in a state similar to last time on the couch. "The more I got to know you, the angrier I felt over the world leaving an option for people to hurt each other, and even more for a person to choose to hurt someone else willingly." He's close enough for you to feel the soft warmth of his body against yours and for you to shudder when his voice lowers more than its usual state, attraction resurfacing despite the situation you're in. "But when I realized there were more layers to it all, I explored other options, and I was able to be happier, through seeking love and through wanting to love another."

His teeth almost brush against your lips. 

The monster retains himself, seeking your approval, one you deliver with a nod and by inching closer to him. 

The strangeness of his face once again hits you as he's capable of giving a similar experience to kissing someone with lips; the malleability of his skull allows him to deepen the feeling and for you to take the lead next. You grab his waist tight and pull him closer, mind debating with heart over what action to take next, both of these who reach the conclusion of simply easing in and going for the moment. You tease his jaw with another kiss and go lower until reaching his neck, where you stop to bite at, performing a quick experiment on the monster to see if it's possible for a mark to be left on him.

He shudders, countering the sensation by looking away, even as he keeps himself suspended over you. 

You look up at him and hold his cheekbone against your palm, biting back a smile when you notice a small, reddish mark already beginning to form on the corner of his neck. 

"Could we… Could we wait until we can sort all this out first, then? I… I like you, too, but there's a lot going on, and it's better if we could overcome all that first, both as individuals and… And together with you."

Sans nods and moves back, freeing you from the corner of the couch. "Sounds reasonable," he says, chuckling. "Let's give it some time."

He gets off the couch and helps you up.

No more words are exchanged as you make him follow you to the kitchen, where you offer him something to eat and drink, and a napkin to wipe his face free of tears. You gather your belongings while he cools off, making sure to give the bookshelf a visit and retrieve the folder, just in case. Even if you didn't end up accepting the job offer, it wouldn't be bad having it handy.

Sans follows you out of the house when you're done. You step out and walk with him by your side, the first step towards understanding helping you move on.

Slowly but surely, you would get to understand yourself and others better, without needing to act as a recluse from forming connections with them.

And hopefully through those means, things would turn out alright, even if little by little; eventually.


	26. 20.5 - Mother, Mother (A Different Perspective)

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/J45UV92FGt4)

The reminder he's yet to adjust to physical contact dawns on him when he kisses her; the softness of her body's a grand contrast from his, something he can feel's more pronounced when his hand strays over to her waist, pudginess felt sharply against the roughness of his touch. He's lost track of how long the kiss has lasted, yet right as he's thinking about ending it, she returns it, tongue slipping into the space left between his parted teeth. His soul fastens its pulse and he can hear her own heartbeat with how close he is against her, the sole obstacle to keep him distanced being the reminder this's the last action he'll get for a while; if again, at all.

When she ends the kiss, her lips move on over to his jaw, and not long after, he feels something sting his neck. He looks down to where the pain comes from, seeing a reddish mark on the uppermost part of his neck. Understanding befalls on him as he thinks back on his studies on human customs and the suggestive connotation behind that particular display. 

She ends it with that, leaving him with a mark on his neck and a promise to take things slow until both her and himself managed with life and its current troubles better.

Sans follows her to the kitchen, where he's offered something to eat and drink. He accepts the second one of the two, needing water to cool down, both in a literal and metaphorical sense. She goes off to pick up her belongings while he recovers, soul still thumping loud against his chest. Albeit how recent, the monster replays the scenario in his mind and his senses take the job of reminding him of how gentle and warm her touch felt, right until she decided to leave a mark on him and end it with that.

At that reminder, he sets the empty cup aside and looks for a place where he can see his reflection in. He ends up in front of the television screen, where he can see the blatant evidence of what went on during his conversation with her. Whoever noticed would surely mention it, so he tries to deflect that possibility by rubbing at that spot for a while.

When he pulls his hand back, it's clear he's only worsened the mark, as it now takes up a brighter red, another prominent contrast from his physicality as a monster.

"Come here for a moment."

At the sound of his name being called out and followed by those words, he looks to the owner of that voice to see (Y/N) standing nearby, holding up a small pouch in her hand, one she points out at him. "I'll cover that up for you." Her eyes point to the mark and later to the item held up in her hand, prompting him to approach her side and wait.

"Hold still," she says, reaching a hand for his neck.

His breath turns shallow and he has difficulty not sparing a glance up at her every so often. To prevent it, he shuts his gaze, needing to keep his head high for whatever it was she planned to do down there. 

"It's not exactly your colour," she says, pressing something soft against the mark. "But it should be enough while you find a tighter-fitting shirt while this fades." She addresses the looseness of his shirt by tugging at its collar, and the soft feeling returns soon after. "Does it hurt much? I… I didn't know you could bruise."

He nods and tries to find her arm, holding it when he does. "I can," he says, letting out a laugh. "But it doesn't hurt that much, though. Only initially."

To further worsen his surprise for today, the woman kisses that spot before putting away the item she used to cover up the mark: eyeshadow of a pure and sparkling white colour. "You're surprisingly mellow for a guy… In this kind of stuff, I mean."

Even if the monster's a bit more reserved and, overall, inexperienced in that area, he's no fool as to what that means. "On taking the lead?"

Her lips tug into a smile and she nods. "Yeah. It's... cute, honestly."

The conversation ends on that note. She walks with him out of her home and locks the door, checking it twice before leaving. Papyrus waves when he spots her while Frisk invites her to sit with them on the back seats.

Sans takes the front passenger one and says nothing even as his brother sparks up conversation with (Y/N), where he asks her about her future plans now that she'd another job offer handy. 

"I'm still not too sure what to do, but…" Her words trail off and he's compelled to look at her through the rear-view mirror, seeing a frown power over most of her face. "Taking up Toriel's offer feels bad. I… I don't want to keep benefiting from you guys so much without giving anything back in return."

"Is working with us not enough?" Papyrus asks. His words are assured to come out bad were they said by any other person, yet it sounds genuine and gentle coming from him. "Believe it or not, spending time with us already helps plenty, since that encourages people to lose their fear and interact more with us!" He presses a button and waits for the hood to lift, countering the few drops beginning to fall from the sky. "It's like a chain reaction: you make friends with us and inspire others to do the same!"

There's a bit of silence on her part before she replies with, "Alright," and stops to let out a huff, continuing with, "I'll think about it." Finally, she smiles. "Thank you for the help."

He smiles back. "Tell me if you decide! I'd like to know your answer."

  
  


* * *

  
  


When the car parks, Frisk is the first person to get out and walk off to school. Its large and sculptured bushes greet them from a distance, along with Toriel standing by the entrance. There's a gate surrounding the school, an addition made to improve security and keep students in, though it doesn't take away from the beauty of its benches, trees, and everything else composing it.

Sans stays back with his brother as he waits for (Y/N) to have a conversation with the goat lady, who welcomes her with a smile and a wave, the same applied to Frisk. A brew of emotions displays itself as the pair have a talk, expressions changing from happy and eager to sad and doubtful. The latter stays consistent for most of the time, its end arriving when Toriel asks her another question, but still related to the rest based on how (Y/N)'s gaze shifts to awe.

_"A- Are you serious?"_

Based on how loud and clear her question comes out, the goat lady's either insisting over the job offer or bringing forth another option related to it. There's more to her question, and Toriel nods in response when she's done. Whatever the product of her shock had been, it seems to have a positive impact on both women; that thought alone makes him wish he could know what the two were talking about, yet he stays back, being against interrupting and much less hearing in on the conversation. 

They stop talking and enter the building, Frisk following after them.

"Are you alright, brother? You look distracted."

With how quiet his surroundings have become since Frisk and (Y/N) stepped out of the car, Papyrus's voice sounds foreign, as if belonging somewhere else. The question brings forth his doubt as to whether his brother knew about his relationship with Frisk's mother, a question answered when he adds, "You seem a bit... _distant_ from miss (Y/N) suddenly. Did… Did something happen back there?"

Almost on instinct, Sans's hand reaches for the mark on his neck, made far less eye-catching with the makeup the woman had used on him. No matter how simple the question is and how much he reminds himself of that, he doesn't answer, guilt absorbing any remote chance for him to defend himself. He knows waiting will only make it worse, but he can't bring himself to snap out of it. He'd been too hasty and was now regretting having messed around in his relationship with her until it eventually dissolved into what it was in actuality: a surface level crush where neither party was ready for commitment. _He_ couldn't with how little he understood romance; it was his second, perhaps third time falling for someone the way he had with (Y/N), so that made him unable to react how he wanted to. _She_ couldn't with how many personal issues she'd left to resolve.

Papyrus sighs, putting an end to Sans's overthinking. "It's fine if you don't want to answer my question, but please don't take any reckless actions with her. I am sure you understand she's still learning about us monsters, and that it will take some time until we can get along better than we are now. I just hope you don't dislike her."

Sans chuckles at that, sound about as airy as he feels at the prospect of him feeling that way about the woman. "It's pretty much the complete opposite, Paps. She's, uh… She's become someone important to me, actually."

When silence stays longer than it would for someone to answer normally, the skeleton can already tell his brother's onto something.

"Important in what way, exactly?"

Hitting the nail on the head with his suspicions, he's a little less caught off guard by the question. "As a friend, and maybe more than that."

"And do you believe yourself ready to tackle something like this, brother? I am not saying this to discourage you, but… I am still aware of how difficult it is for you to open up, let alone with someone you feel that way for."

"Not yet." Those words come out faster than he anticipated; his conversation from earlier with the woman in question helps with the situation, guiding him forward. "I... kinda took things too fast in the beginning, so now we're back to just being friends."

"So you've dated her before?"

"... Somethin' like that."

Papyrus steps out of the car and waits for him to follow, locking it when they're both out. 

The wind blows strong, scattering leaves everywhere around. There's the scent of wet earth nearby and grey clouds above; a few, thin drops begin to fall, almost seeming to wait for them two to find shelter before the storm. His brother's one step ahead, already at the door and holding it for him to pass through.

"We'll talk more later," he says, closing the door. "And I hope you're just as honest as you were being with me just now!"

Sans laughs and casts his gaze up when hearing muffled commotion from nearby, mind growing just as alert as the posture his brother holds when entering the school. They're both greeted by an empty hallway and the closed door of a principal's office, sound appearing to be coming from the last one of the two. It's a voice muffled by static and a closed door, making it complex to decipher just what exactly's being discussed by the person. It opens the moment he so much as touches the wooden surface, the single, soft knock sound his knuckles make sending a small figure hugging at him.

Frisk holds onto both monsters and buries their face between them, an explanation over their actions and shaky state being given by the television hung at a corner wall of the office.

"Some have begun to pack their bags and return to the Underground in response to these changes."

He sees chaos photographed and shown up on screen, picturing a thrashed district full of what had once been shops of all kinds, from a large farmer's market to a small, handmade clothing store. 

"The incident's caused tension between them, ending multiple friendships, but strengthening some, too. It's believed those who've refused to end these ties with monsters are now moving in with them there, and have upped security measures to avoid further trouble." 

The next thing to show makes him usher Frisk off with Papyrus, who nods and drags the child with him, keeping them from looking up any longer. The television displays a blurred picture of them, taken when they'd only just freed monsters from the Underground. Next to their picture's a photo of a highway, with nothing short of a death threat being written out in large letters on the walls, covering the colourful murals that once stood displaying art of various types. 

_'Someone's about to be orphaned real soon,'_ the new mural reads at the top; a stick figure family of three with Frisk's face the most detailed and distinctive accompanies the message. _'Be careful who you're kind to,'_ it continues at the bottom. 

"The incident above's already been sent under research, but authorities advise the ambassador's parents to put an end to that position and protect their child at all costs. Child Protective Services is underway to talk with both parents about the situation, therefore taking the child's role away and the relationships formed through it."

Sans's gaze parts from the screen to fall on Toriel and (Y/N), both who're hugging each other close, eyes shut tight and grip about as strong as the rain beginning to fall.

Suddenly, the world seems to stop and the office he's in feels like the only place left in the world, the same going for the people in it.

...

**End: Arc #2 - Enemy Approaching**

**Start: Arc #3 - Pathetic House**

* * *

**Arc List**

**Arc #1 - Once Upon a Time**

_Chapters 1 to 10.5 (✓ - complete)_

**Arc #2 - Enemy Approaching**

_Chapters 11 to 20.5 (✓ - complete)_

**Arc #3 - Pathetic House**

_Chapters 21 to 30.5 (× - current)_

**Arc #4 - Spear of Justice**

_Chapters 31 to 40.5_

**Arc #5 - Here We Are**

_Chapters 41 to 50.5_

**Arc #5.5/Final Arc - Good Night**

_Chapters 51 to 55_

* * *

**Next 5 Chapters Preview**

**21 - ABC**

_Despite everything, life goes on._

**22 - Hurricane Tortilla**

_Mother Nature makes a move._

**23 - Pressure Point**

_An invasion occurs._

**24 - The Color Orange**

_A soul's lost._

**25 - Live and Let Die**

Ẅ̴̡̥͖̟̳͙̹̮͚́̔̇̒̏̀̐͑̀̅̏̉̅̊̕͜͝e̴̢̳͍͔̬͚͉̦͇͕͚̮̘̹̺͈̩͗̓̂̔́̋̄̈́̈́̚͜͠͝͝'̵̨̧̦̪̘̳̮̤̯͉̳̻̠̻̟͕̰̙͕̔͐̅͌̔̔̕͘̚͝r̷͓̽͐͒̈́͂̔̄͌́͑̄̊͛͘ę̶̧̫̪̋̏̈́͌̌̐͆̔̄̓̋͋̅̂̔̕͜͝ ̷̛̺͚̀̄̀̓̄̍͊̈́̍̑͂͂̚̚͝G̴̛̊̆̓̊͂̒̽̅̌̇̈͘͘̕̚̚ở̶̛͇͕̤̜̐͑̏̋͗̇͆͂͒̔̊̍̄̀̾͝d̵̡̢͍͉̝̲̝̞͖͍̳̀̿͂̀̊͗͆͜͝'̸̛̭͇̠̗̤̹̘͚̥̯̯̭͚̼͚̅̾͜ş̴̡̨̟̞͓͙̭̤̼̦̻̙̗͓͔̣̘̤̺̩̿̔̕͝ ̷̡̡̨̭̦̞͓̤̹̫̬̳̘̪͔̭̳͎̘̼́̊̏͆̅̈́̑͐̅̚̚͝Ŏ̷̖͓̝͈̤̭̦̅̍͌͑C̶̨͈̻͎̲̙̜͕̣̖̹̓̂͜s̸̮̤͉̬̥̮̪̮̯͓̝̥͔͍̯̰̺̮̦̄͆̎̈̂͛͜͝ͅͅ.̶̢̨̢͉͇̺̦̥̰̔̐͜͝ ̴̛̗̖̩͉͓͍̟̬̯̞̤̣͌̊̃̃̏̒͒͛̀͌̌̑̆͘̕͜ͅ-̵̧̢̡̛̠͙͈̲͚̭͔̬͓̳͍̟̫̠̃̍͌̓̑̓͗̔̏͆̿͛̽͆͗̈́̐̋̚͘͝ ̶̩̫̥̻̦͎̮̝̽͗̾S̷̨̤͚̣̤͔͙͕̠͌̋̄͌̄̾̀ơ̸̢̢̛͎̤̝̗̱̔́͂͌͛̒̈͑͋͒͘͜͝͝͝l̸͚̞̰̤͙̥͇̰͖̱̖̺̥̺̲̻͕̗͉͑͒͒̏̓̕̕̕͘͜a̸̛̝̠̟̭̣̮̳̞͈͔̺͈̳͍͉͓̮̭̫̤͓̲͆͂́̋̇̊̆̎̈̃͊͑̾̓̽̈̓͘̚̚͝r̵̨̢̠͎̞͇̗͔̫̻̮̪͚̠͖̲̳̪͍̙̂̊̃̀̒̂̾̽̾͝ ̶̳̊̅͌̔͠S̸̯̮͈͓̖̼̻͎̅͋̋̿̈́̑̆̓̓͌a̶̡̟͖̺̟̠̟̠̗̿͑̑͋̈̕n̸̨͓̱̱͈̲͇̻̼̞̗̤͓̫͎̜̓͊̓͐͒̍̐̓̈́̿̾̅̐̑̓̎͒̀̚͜͝ͅḑ̵̡̨̫̻̪̘͈̻͙̤̗̠̬̥̩̈̽̑͐́̄̌̂͜͜ş̶̡̨̨͕͙̼̞̫̥̥̞̝͍͍̤̆̑̅͆͊̃̃̑̑͒̏͐̾,̶̨̧̹͙̪̩̦̈̉͒̿̂̌̎͐͊̄́̆̐ ̶̡̛̮̯͍̯̟̲̮̫̖͉̩͙̿̈̽͗͆ͅ2̴̛̛̪͙͚͎͔̅̑̊̾̒̊͐̓̀̉̈́̋͂̉͂0̶̢̝̥̤̺̝͔̟̖͇̦̱̱̫̞͎̼̳͛̑͠ͅ1̷̢̡̢̦͕̪̖̠̳̤̤̜͓̠̭͎͈̺͓̖̭͋͊̂̂̏̈̅͒́͐̓͐͠͝9̶̢͚̖̤̬̞͕̟̞͎̹̪̿̓


	27. General, Important Announcement 2

Ok, so... Hello again. 🙋

I'm sure everyone's just as tired as I am of these announcements/changes, so I'll keep it short:

Since I continue to be highly critical over my writing, keep getting sick, and my responsibilities both as a student and a tutor have increased, above is my (hopefully) final and newest schedule according to all those changes! 

Also, to avoid cluttering my fanfics with announcements, author's notes, extras and the like, I'll be using symbols at the bottom of the story/end of a chapter to notify when I'll be taking a break, and extras will be moving over to a separate book! And I'll most likely be deleting all the announcements and author's notes I made so far (with the exception of the 2 'General, Important Announcement[s]'), so that it'll be easier to read through the stories.

**Symbol Chart:**

**••• means I'm placing the story on-hold for 1 week.**

**°°° means I'm placing the story on-hold for 2 weeks.**

**♪♪♪ means I'll be updating the story twice that week.**

**××× means I'll be placing the story on-hold until winter vacation.**

If there's no symbol available at the bottom, then that means updates will continue as normal! 

And that's about it with this announcement! Take care, and stay safe out there. :-)


	28. 21 - ABC

[BGM](https://youtu.be/JXQOXXTsGBg)

It smells like a school supply when you open the door; the scents of paper, ink, and brand new stationery bring forth nostalgia, both from your years spent in school and from sending Frisk there, too. There's an empty desk sitting by the far middle of the room, an office chair behind it, and a row of seats on either sides of the room. At the desk sits a plaque with your name on it, the words co-director and school counselor found right under it. There's a bunch of files waiting for you, along with a small, silver keychain of the school's logo, three keys holding onto it.

While you don't exactly believe yourself capable of being Toriel's assistant and much less give any sort of advice to any person who came through, the interview you had with her told you otherwise. Years of working at an office made it easy for you to manage with school affairs, and quoting her: you were good at comforting others and giving them a word of advice, not so much when it came to yourself. Truthfully, you'd been offended by that comment, yet there was no denying it.

It was similar to how you'd felt wistful weeks after your confrontation with Sans happened, despite you being the one to suggest ending any romantic and flirty ties with him. He followed your suggestion word-by-word, and for the past month since it took for the school to open and another one more until you were given an office of your own, he hadn't once flirted with you; perhaps once or twice; or maybe three times, to be more specific, but only until those old habits of his died down to nothing.

You bring a hand to your lips, brushing your fingers against them as you think back on your second kiss with the monster.

Just as the first kiss had been more out of fun and temporary allure, the second one had been driven by desire more than a romantic want of sorts, though it had been more expressive compared to the first one. On one hand, it feels nice to know you've set things straight with the monster so as to avoid leading him on further, but on the other hand, you're still not over him yet. Whatever it was that caused you to think about wanting to be back to how it once was, it was driving you mad. Even with him not flirting around with you anymore, you can't pinpoint as to whether you like him or not, or if you're simply starved for company after so long. Visiting a bar in hopes of meeting someone else didn't help either; the more traditional sense of romance you carried in mind prevented you from starting anything casual with anyone. Ridiculously enough, there was also a hint of guilt that remained whenever you tried to start something new with someone else. 

Whether it was how for long you'd kept yourself from the world or whether you truly had feelings for him, you couldn't bear the constant overthinking it brought.

_Knock, knock._

You've almost forgotten where you're at by this point, though the knocks drag you back to reality. When you don't respond, part of it (or most of it) due to how much you're burning your mind out, the knocks return; a bit louder this time. You answer from your desk, stopping the person from leaving.

"Come in."

In accordance to your words, the door opens and through passes a human man about as tall as Undyne. He has a bear monster holding onto his hand, and a few papers are held by the young one. The man lets go, smiles, and encourages the child to approach your side.

You smile down at the bear and reach out for what he gives you; your expression then takes an abrupt turn when you see what you're holding in your hand's about.

"You're…" You read through the papers again, hoping you've misunderstood them. "You're forfeiting his enrollment? But he's been with us for a whole month now!" One of them almost ends up on the floor when you set them aside, hands shaking in fear over the meaning behind the leave. The boy helps catch it and hands it back to you, and while you thank him for the help, you still can't bring yourself to make your smile return. "Did something happen?"

The man nods. He's quiet for a long while, until he replies with, "...I broke up with my girlfriend, so now she's going to be taking him to another school."

As bad as you feel over finding relief in his reply, you push forward, saying, "Was it due to, well… the type of relationship you have with monsters?"

Something seems to spark in him at the sound of that question, all based on how his calm self changes for one of interest when he nods. "Oh, yeah," he says, letting out a laugh. _"Definitely,"_ he adds, "Things got too complicated, 'cuz people think I've got somethin' for actual, freakin' wild bears instead of just humans and monsters now." He looks at you, the sheer cold of his expression sending a shiver down your spine. "You're ruinin' your kid's life, letting them be an ambassador for the monsters." He narrows his eyes and brow, almost forming a glare with them. "You know that, right?" Again, he laughs. "You should quit while you still can. As good and kind as some monsters can be, they're _really_ not worth the trouble they bring to the Surface."

A gust of wind passes by you as his son rushes off behind your desk, hiding himself there. That appears to lighten something else in the man; sorrow and a trace of regret, though it all vanishes quickly. A grin shows up on his face, the shamelessness you suspect from him manifesting itself when he says, "You've messed around with one, too, haven't you? That look on your face says it all."

You feel sick to the stomach already, and you're compelled to interrupt the conversation to tend to his son. You retrieve some ear plugs from a first aid kit and hand them over to him, waiting until he wears them for you to confront his father.

"What do you mean?"

His grin rises. "That look you give to the chemistry teacher whenever you pass by him," he comments, snickering, "That's the look of someone who went too far into Wonderland, and either regrets it or wants more." He pauses to peer at the desk, a hint of concern conflicting with his sneer. "Which one is it, doll? I promise I won't tell anybody."

_"Excuse_ me?" Your voice comes out way louder than you were hoping for, though you manage to recover quick enough. "I don't think I need to answer that." You glare at him and clench your hands tight as you place them on your waist. "Not only is that private information, sir, but you're making your son uncomfortable. I refuse to keep talking with you until you either take your son out, or stop this attitude immediately."

"Ah, come on." The man rests his hands over the desk and faces down at you. "You have a kid, and you're called miss instead of missus, so that _definitely_ means you've been through something similar before; you've screwed up before, too. So don't act all high and mighty just 'cuz I'm revealing my personal mistakes to you." He looks down at the plaque and amusement flares in his gaze, mockery dripping off his voice. "Just go ahead and _counsel_ me if you've got the experience, _co-director_. Just don't act like you're better than me for it."

"I'm not."

"Then why won't you give me an answer on what's your deal with that teacher? Even _he_ looks like a hopeless idiot whenever you pass by him."

A snark answer stays on the tip of your tongue when you see the door open, at a pace slow enough for it not to make a single noise; you hold your comment back, thankful for the intervention and the trouble you've saved yourself from. Through it enters Undyne, looking about as pissed as you wish you could be, your new job preventing you so as to remain professional to the school's community. She strides to your side and stands steps away from the man, grabbing his shoulder and attention as easily as a scowl forms on her face.

"Back off." Her voice is like thunder on a sunny day: unexpected for the one she has her hold on. She waits for him to turn around and lets him go when he doesn't fight back. "This is a place for students, _not_ their parents. If you won't cool off, then I'm afraid you'll have to leave, sir."

"Oh, I'm _leaving_ alright." He stands toe-to-toe with her, brows knitted as he looks her in the eye. "My son is, too. But I figured I could at least take him to the _counselor_ to see if she's actually worth having this job, and maybe learn from her experiences, 'cause, clearly, if she's a single mom with a crush on a monster, she's also screwed up big time one way or-"

"Quit the yapping already, sir." Undyne scoffs, getting a hold on him again; rougher this time. "You're making me _nauseous."_

She drags him off and nods at you to deal with his son, who's still hidden and crying at a corner of your office. He flinches when he notices your presence, yet he doesn't do anything; he stays tucked in place, arms hugging his knees and face cast down at his feet. His eyes are wet, and a few drops fall when he blinks. The fur on his arms and legs are on edge, and his ears droop; his expression's similar to that of someone lost in the vastness of a stranded island, waiting to be found, or at the very least: _searched_ for.

"...He brings up the news from two months ago everytime I ask him why he's leaving," he whispers, voice as dry and quiet as summer's leftover winds. "I... told him he could move in with us back to our old house, b- but he didn't want to."

You take the child with you to one of the chairs available and sit down next to him; you stay silent, waiting for him to say more.

"So now I don't get to stay in this school, and... And I don't get to see him, either." He glares at nothing in particular, gaze still facing the floor. "Is it okay for me to feel angry?"

"At who?" you ask, facing down at him.

He hugs his knees closer and rests his chin on top of them. "...I'm not sure. I'm just, well… _angry_ , a- and sad, too."

"Can you tell which one's stronger? Or are they both the same?"

The monster lets his knees go and sits up straight. He sighs, body trembling as he breathes back in. His hand goes to wipe his face, though you stop that and offer him a napkin. "I think… sad, mostly." He stops looking down and greets you with a clouded gaze, about as glum as the past few rainy days. "Why can't we just get along?" He faces at his feet again and tears return to his face. "I… I don't even know why King Asgore told us to be on the lookout for humans when we were Underground, if there were good ones like you, Frisk, and a bunch more others, too! The… The way I was told all that made me think humans were scary, but now I know that's not true! If you were mean, you… You wouldn't be working here with the principal!"

"I…" You pass a hand over their head and smile, laughing under your breath. "I used to think that way about all monsters, too, but… But that's eventually begun to change." You pull back and sit up straight, facing the wall. "I piled up all monsters into one box and didn't distinguish on who I had to be critical with and not." You sigh. "I'm still trying to figure out who I should be close to, but one thing's for sure…" You turn to him and widen your smile. Then, you offer out a hand and wait for him to react. When he takes it, you continue with, "Monsters and humans like you, who just want the best for everyone and have the world get along, don't deserve that hate. You didn't choose to be part of this history; it's those who made those choices for things to be like they are now who have to speak up about their actions and understand the mistakes that were made, both by humans and monsters alike." You let go, breathing in. "Almost nobody's free from the consequences of their actions, and it's near impossible not to hurt each other. But the least we can do's be aware of that and try to be better day-by-day."

_Click._

You almost flinch at that noise and the feeling that accompanies it right on the back of your head. The bear monster's once calmed expression changes for horror, and you don't have to look behind you to know what's happening.

"On your knees, cow lady," the voice behind you shouts, shoving the gun's head against the back of your scalp. "This oughta teach you a thing or two about raising a degenerate."

When you're allowed to turn around, you see the person's covered up from head-to-toe; even his eyes are kept hidden, dark glasses shielding them back. 

"I can't learn if I'm dead."

The man laughs. He shoves you off the chair and tells the child to scram; he then pockets his gun away and gets down on one knee, retrieving a different weapon from another pocket. One hand grabs your arm while the other holds onto a knife, the tip of its blade being pressed right against the lowermost part of your stomach, close to where your womb would be.

"I didn't say you were gonna die. We're gonna have a lil' friendly _talk_ first before that ever happens," he says, pressing the knife harder against you. The force draws out pain, a hiss, and a trace of blood, already staining your clothes. "But before that, I just wanna make sure you don't think of raising another kid like them _ever_ again."

* * *

[General, Important Announcement 3](https://www.quotev.com/story/13066970/Messy-but-Positive-Letter-to-All-the-Fanfic-Readers-and-Writers-Out-There)


	29. 22 - Hurricane Tortilla

[BGM](https://youtu.be/73jiy06kdRE)

You take your first risk by elbowing his face, hitting him right on the nose. 

He shouts out a curse and then an insult at you, knife falling off his hand as he shoves you aside. 

"I'm gonna hurt you even  _ worse _ now," he barks, voice muffled by the hand over his face.

You spare a moment to look around and see the bear monster's no longer here. Only his documents remain, these still stacked neatly on top of your desk. There's not much to defend yourself with aside from the knife you claim as yours and a pair of safety scissors on one of the drawers, so you make do with what you have. You find shelter behind the desk and hold the knife tight; calming down, if only scarcely, is the first step you can take. 

Elbow against nose was enough to leave the man bleeding and pained, though based on how angry he sounds, the fight's far from over yet. The wound on your stomach, however small, stings when you crouch down, yet you bite back the pain, its gravity still nothing in comparison to the risks you're about to face. You pull yourself together and get down on one knee; the small space left between wooden boards allows you to see him, still struggling to see through the mess he's made of his injury, blood being smeared all across his face.

Whoever the man was, it's clear he's inexperienced or that he's been fueled to do something like this all of a sudden. He was no professional and he seemed to be after you more than anyone else, but that didn't make him any less of a threat.

"He's behind here!"

The young bear's voice from before sounds muffled yet close, alerting both you and the man laying on the ground. The man stands up, takes his weapon, and points it out at the door. His stance is shaky and the gun almost slips from his hold, though he stays facing the door nonetheless, in wait for anyone to pass through it.

Barely thinking it twice, you move away from the desk and rush up behind him, throwing yourself at him. You use the knife to stab his armed hand, though he still manages to pull the trigger, aiming at the floor as it falls. It hits one of the chair's legs and veers off back to him, missing him and meeting its end on a cement wall, hardly inches away from the door.

Everyone's voices gather in exclamations and the door bursts open, revealing a bunch of people, from Undyne ready to kick butt to your ex screaming and sobbing, and asking if you're dead. The distraction helps you take ownership of both the knife and the gun, the first one you hand over to the nearest person available and the second you hold as carefully as a newborn baby in fear of mishandling it. You set it down on the desk and stand behind it, not too trusting of having it in your hands or anywhere near the man now thrown on the floor again. Meanwhile, he struggles to free himself from the woman's grasp. His arms are already locked tight behind him, blocking him from making an escape. There's your ex looking about as relieved as Frisk does to see you fine, the youngest of the two who runs over to your side and takes you in for a strong hug.

Looking outside, you can see all students have evacuated their classrooms, most of these accompanied by teachers while others have security guards near them. Everything seems to be fine now, though you can't help feeling as if something's missing.

Every room has its own group of children waiting outside, with the exception of the chemistry lab. The hour marked on the wall clock suggests there should be class right about now, so at the very least, the few students advanced enough to be there should be out in the hallways. Your moment to rejoice is cut short when you bring that up, saying, "Where did chemistry class go to? I can't see them outside."

Shock makes Undyne stop wrestling the man down, yet he's thankfully too tired to fight back anymore. One of the guards drags him off, though; just to be safe. There's a bit of collective silence, one you remember from the initial days when you were confronting monsters over hurting Frisk; a tense, guilty sort of silence.

"Science class is missing their teacher, too," Jerry comments, frowning as he rubs the back of his neck. "Who're in charge of those two, anyway?"

There's more silence on the monsters' part. Toriel clasps her hands together and faces the floor; Undyne and the rest of those present do the same. Humans are the only exception, in this case. 

"Alphys is in charge of science, and Sans is in charge of chemistry," Toriel says, words quiet and careful as she frowns. "After what… Alphys did in her lab, neither do we nor the law allow her to take part in experiments anymore." She faces up, meeting with your eyes. "Still, we are… quite short on teachers, so we let her keep her position as a science teacher while we look into other alternatives."

_ Crash. _

Glass breaking sends everyone looking toward one same direction. There's the sound of children screaming and some running. The amount of noise students make fails to show up at the hallways, as only few of them manage to exit the classrooms. Those who do are teary-eyed and don't hesitate to run off where they see the most quantity of people gathered, searching for safety amongst them.

At that observation, you do the least thing you expect yourself to: grab the gun again and ask one of the guards for help.

"Do you know how to use this?"

The bunny man shakes his head and removes his face armor to reveal a frown. "I am afraid we were only taught how to use traditional and close-combat weapons for the most part. Guns are not our fort."

At the sound of more screaming, you rush off and excuse yourself out of the office. 

_ "Don't." _

A hand holds you back, bony and hard to the touch. The longer it stays on your wrist, the worse you begin to feel, not emotionally or stomach-wise per se, but because there's the feeling of his fingers melting on your skin; like candle wax, but with the exception of scalding. It's a warm feeling at most, one you try to shake off, only to realize it's like attempting to get gum off your shoe. 

You turn to the voice and look down to meet with Sans's irises, these carrying a barely visible white in colour, denoting the pain he's holding back. He lets go of your wrist when noticing your struggle to set it free and apologizes for it. Then, he holds back a grimace, keeping a neutral look instead. "The students're safe, but they're bein' forced to watch what some guys are doin' with the lab. Alphys's also fine. Injured, but uh… still alive."

"Wh- Where is she?" Undyne asks, shaking herself out of her slump. "Did those punks drag her over there?"

Sans nods and takes a step back. Each movement he makes leaves a trail of his body behind, melting off like ice cubes on pavement. There's too many questions going on all at once for you to focus on each one of them, but you manage to concentrate on one at a time when those around you begin to split up their roles.

"Undyne will go to Chemistry; Toriel will handle Science," the bunny man says, face hidden by his helmet again. "And I'll take the students out of campus with my partner." He nods at the fish man waiting nearby, who returns it and accompanies him out of the office.

Orders continue to be made until only few are left, finally giving you time to focus on what's happening to the one who'd held you back. Frisk and the bear child remain, both who hold onto each other for support. Your ex's nearby, too, though he doesn't say a word. He has his hands wrapped around himself and whenever your gaze meets with his, he looks down in fluster. 

"What… What happened to you?" you ask, facing Sans again.

You sit him down with you on the chairs next to your desk, close to where you'd been stabbed at. The wound on your stomach's worsened with how much and how frequent you've moved around, yet you don't mention it and hope nobody's noticed. To cover up, you take Sans's coat as an excuse over him needing to have less clothes on him and spread it across your lap, covering up the stains on your dress. "Why are you... melting?" You frown and feel your gaze turn wet at that sight, the effect of too much action on one day debilitating your willpower to stay strong and unfazed. "And how did this happen? I… I thought they were only after Jerry and me!"

His body looks fine and normal on a first glance, but you can see he's quite literally melting before your eyes when you stare for longer; the things he touches and the mark he leaves on them reveals his touch is dangerous, and that brushing with him would result similar to when he held you back by the wrist. 

"What did they do to you?"

While you wait for an answer, you stare straight at him, letting known you're not about to wait for or accept any dodges to your questions. 

"Some guys experimented on me," is his sole reply, followed by him shifting back from his seat to further distance himself from you.

"They,  _ what?" _

You lay him down, using two of the chairs as a makeshift bed. Frisk helps by grabbing the first aid kit while the bear helps them take out the stuff you tell them you need. Jerry bites his lip before doing anything and a few tears escape his eyes before he joins you, helping you wrap your hands with bandages to create a shield to touch the monster's body with.

"They forced Alphys to tell 'em what she injected on her patients. And then one of 'em almost shot one of the students 'fore she burst out crying and answered their question." He extends his arm out to you, revealing a mark similar to the hickie you left on him two months ago. "They pulled me along and tested the first prototype on me." He flips around, giving his back to you and tugging the back of his shirt down, revealing another mark on the center of his neck. "The first one failed... so they tried it on me a second time."

"H- How are you still alive?!" Your exclamation is accompanied by you throwing yourself on him. You grab his shoulders, turn him back around, and make him face you. "Those Amalgams I saw… They- They were barely themselves anymore! How are you still here, a- able to communicate with me like this?" 

"They're not very good at it," he replies, chuckling. "So, thankfully... I've still got time."

"How long?" You dig your nails into his bones despite the bandages layered out. There's too much going on for you to measure your strength, something you realize when the monster hisses in response to the pain. "Be serious for a moment and tell me. I… I'll do my best to help you out."

"I'm honestly not sure." The two children present help further by taking some cooling pads and placing them around him, starting from his forehead and continuing with his arms and ribcage. He shows the most reaction there, the result being a shaky sigh, relief being let known. "She stopped researching on what exactly happened to those patients, and so now we don't really have a cure or any lead on how to fix this."

"So you'll  _ die? _ That's it?"

You snap those words at him; unregistered anger dawns on you when Jerry steps in, a hand placed awkwardly careful and stiff on your back to keep you from losing control.

"They were targeting me and Jerry, b- but they still  _ dare _ do this? I was ready to guard myself if it came to them messing with me… Not the entire school I'm working in!"

Further needing to restrain your ire, you take up your ex's offer for a hug and gain some strength through a few breaths in and out. He keeps his hands away from your body all the while, simply letting you hold on for a moment. "T- Take you time," he mutters, a hand reaching just as awkward for the back of your head, soothing you further. "He didn't turn immediately, did he?" His words try to be confident, yet they shake badly at every pause, these becoming a near perfect personification of the tremble present in his body. "Those patients Alphys talked about lost their chances quickly because the substance was far more strong, a- and they ended up losing control and fusing with other monsters." He lets go of you, directing a smile. "He's not doing any of that, right? We can find a solution, still."

You smile back and pull away from the hug. Then, you face up at him, saying, "You're r-"

Wind howls at closed windows and the sheer strength of it makes it feel as if there's a tropical storm about to arrive. The once normal, blue skies are now grey and clouded, matching with the atmosphere of the room and the situation yet to be dealt with outside of its walls. You can still hear the shouts of the guards, these who now have to give brand new directions for the students needing shelter not only from the intruders, but from the sudden and heavy rainfall and the thunder already crashing and rumbling from nearby.

"Mom!" Frisk shouts, sounding distressed. "You're bleeding!"

As if matters couldn't get worse, all eyes fall on you, accusing you of hiding things from them. They fall on where Frisk points at, revealing a blood stained jacket placed on your lap. It's fallen off the spot you tried to cover up and shows the difference in freshness between both stains, one a darker shade than the other.

"Were you shot and keepin' quiet about it?" Sans asks, grinning at you.

Despite the situation, your smile returns at the sound of his comment. "Stabbed, actually," you reply.

"But you still used those bandages to try healing me first?"

"You're melting and I was only  _ mildly _ stabbed. It's clear what I should be concerned with first."

"You were still  _ stabbed  _ anyway, mom!' Frisk shouts, exasperation clear in their voice. "Lay down on those other chairs. Dad can watch over Sans, and Teddy and I can take care of you."

The child next to them nods, determination evident on his face. "My dad's a nurse, so I know a thing or two about humans and taking care of them!"


	30. 23 - Pressure Point

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/rdpVYkWw0w8)

_"Approximately four were gravely injured, thirty three received minor wounds, and one passed. Victims of the event are now in the first ever hospital made for both humans and monsters. Stay tuned for more at six."_

You lower the volume as commercials begin to play. Frisk tugs at your hand for you to join them, though you're not exactly wanting or willing to face the situation, its reality much too difficult to bear. The one you'd judged the harshest out of all monsters was now bedridden, the result of her having intervened just as one of the assaulters was about to go off on a shooting spree. Undyne is by far the most affected of everyone you've seen leave the room, yet she was also the most to hold herself back.

Now that it's your turn to see her, you're not quite sure how to approach the situation. You still couldn't forget what she'd done to her own kind, and you felt just as bad by wanting to overcome that judgment as you did over not wanting to.

Your footsteps are light and careful as you walk forward. Two kinds of regret show up when you see the state she's in: patched up to an extent where only her face is left visible and recognizable on a first glance. The rest of her is either covered up in thick layers of bandages or connected to multiple medical serums, all of these serving a different purpose to her condition. You observe her face and see she's calm despite the pain, and you can almost see a faint smile present on it. She squeezes your hand when you take it, and her eyes open up, revealing a tired and squinted gaze, the second of those two being due to the lack of her glasses. 

"Thank you for visiting me," Alphys says, pulling her hand back. "I… I got more visits than I thought I would… A- And most of these feel like way too much. I r- really, _really_ don't deserve any of them."

You tense up as she almost seems to read into your thoughts about the internal conflict you were having with her. Thankfully, a memory pops into your mind, one that reminds you over what you could do to weigh this matter out a little better. "Alphys…" you mutter, sighing. 

Be it due to a moment of weakness or high tension, you'd allowed Jerry to hug you after so many years. Similarly, there were certain members of your family who'd hurt you one way or another; be it directly or indirectly; be it grave or minor. Some of these you'd managed to forgive with time and experience, and some of them you were far from ever contacting again. You try to determine the same judgment for Alphys and settle with, "That's not true. Your actions weren't in vain; lots of students were able to come out safe because of them." 

Alphys smiles again; it's weak, but it's still there and honest, brightening up her face. "I'm surprised y- you of all people came to visit me, th- though." She looks behind you to stare at Frisk, who's now seated at the visitor's lounge, waiting for you to finish the conversation. "Even though he already had a conscience and life before the body I gave him, I... purposely made Mettaton's new one so it could… _chase_ after certain people. A- And then I also messed up big time with, well… you- y'know." Her smile turns weaker, almost seeming to fade away. "Frisk had to go through a lot because of me, s- so I'm surprised their mom of all people would show up here to see me."

All of a sudden, her expression changes to wide eyes and an agape mouth. She stands up a bit and tries to stare at you directly, though that results in more squinting and her trying to focus her vision on one place. "Th- That being said… How did things go with, um, the- the chemistry teacher? He told me what really happened that day I saw him on your, um, lap, b- but I was wondering how things developed from there."

You smile and reply with, "We didn't have much _chemistry_ between us, so we're still just… friends, I guess."

Alphys snorts and her soul monitor speeds up its pace. She faces you with a full grin now, saying, "Oh, y- you're _friends_ alright. A- Anybody with that sense of humour's probably spent time together with him." Amusement fades and her face retains a stoic expression. The abrupt change makes you furrow your gaze, developing a few creases on your forehead. "I... th- thought you guys kissed, though? What happened after that?"

"Things became a bit… _complicated_ after that. In the end, I think he only liked me because he was curious about going out with a human, I guess. And I… I only liked him because I was lonely. It didn't-"

"That's not true!" 

Frisk steps in, looking like a lawyer about to confront a witness for turning in a shady alibi.

"He said he liked you for more than that!" They point a finger at you and frown; their gaze casts a look about as accusatory as their words, voice, and the rest of their body language. "You... You keep denying the truth, mom, a- and you still won't-"

"That's enough, Frisk (L/N). My business with Sans isn't related to you, so you shouldn't be so upset about us not dating. We're becoming friends, and that's more than enough for me."

"But you've smooched him _lots_ of times already!"

"You- You're wrong. It... It was _two_ times only, and I regret them both. Not because of who he is, but because of what I need to do; the goal I set for myself since you were born."

"Then maybe you don't need to do it anymore!" They frown and anger shows through their eyes. "I forgave the monsters already, and I- I'm making lots of friends now."

"But _I_ haven't."

You say those words before you can even catch yourself over the sheer weight of their meaning. Alphys notices and looks away, her soul monitor revealing her current mood: a sudden jolt and later a calm and consistent beat, almost as if expecting those words to leave your mouth. She lets out a breath, lays down again, and covers most of herself away with the sheets. 

"I'm starting to, but I need more time. So just don't… Just _please_ don't rush me into someone so complicated as this. I liked it when we kind of dated for a while, but that has to wait. And if he's not interested by the time I get there, then I'll learn to move on."

_"I doubt that's gonna happen anytime soon, mom,"_ they sign, once more showing stress through needing to be quiet again. _"He sounds like he likes_ _you_ _more than you like him! Didn't he say he pretty much felt..."_

Their next words blur into the background as the memory from two months ago pushes its way into your thoughts. It's abrupt and unforgiving, and how it all felt's still fresh in your mind, seeming as if it'd only happened yesterday. The words they were quoting are the exact same as those of the confession Sans had made to you on the couch. Worse yet, those words were near to when he'd cornered you again to kiss you. 

"How much did you see?" you ask, already mortified. They were far too young to be seeing anything like that; if _at all._ Not only that, but you didn't want to expose them to anything confusing or complex; a divorce from their biological father felt like enough for a lifetime. Your concept of love was in the most traditional sense possible for the modern day: you waited years just to be with Jerry, and you felt strange when being flirted with the way Sans had with you: outright bold, cheeky, and with a hint of pure shamelessness every so often.

"Right until I saw you guys were gonna kiss. Then I kinda just left with Papyrus and waited 'til you got back."

"...So you didn't see anything?"

"Nuh-uh." They grin. "I just _knew_ you guys were gonna be all smoochy-smoochy after that, so I left before it happened."

You breathe out a long, deep sigh of relief, place a hand over your thumping chest, and thank the Heavens above they hadn't witnessed anything inappropriate. Even if they'd disobeyed your orders by staying behind the door and sneaking in on the conversation, you were far from wanting to scar them for life. "I'm relieved you didn't see that, but…" You hesitate, not too confident as to how you can word your question out. "But why were you sneaking in on us? You _know_ I told you to wait with Papyrus since the beginning."

Caught, they act innocent through feigned surprise. "...You did?"

"Don't try to wiggle yourself out of this. You cornered _yourself_ trying to corner me, you dummy."

They giggle when you take them in your hold and kiss their cheek, tickling their face and pressing your forehead against theirs right after. "You're lucky you caught me lying, too. But don't do that next time, alright, honey? I really don't want to know or hear of you sneaking up on people like that again."

Frisk smiles and nods, kissing your cheek in return afterwards. "Alright."

Chatting time's over as Mettaton steps into the room. He manages to look even worse than Undyne as he sits nearby and slumps on the nearest chair available. He doesn't bother to land gracefully or even be his usual, flamboyant self, a harsh contrast from his seemingly impeccable customs that involved always looking his best, no matter the situation. His hair's a mess and there's what you wonder could be either mascara or motor oil running down his cheeks. Conversely to his state, he forms a small, weak smile when he catches you staring, a sight that brings you back to the harshness of your current situation.

"...Do you need to talk?" you ask, words murmured to avoid worrying Alphys further. "We could go outside for a moment, if you'd like."

His smile grows as he nods. He stands up and fixes himself back to action, some of his grace returning to him. "That… doesn't sound bad, sweetheart." He curtsies and follows you out of the room, boots clicking against the floor. "Thank you."

* * *

You rummage through your bag's belongings and offer out a tissue to the robot. "Did something happen?" you ask, watching as he wipes his face clean. "Are you… worried about Alphys?"

Mettaton nods and sighs, managing a weak smile in the process. "I'm worried about her relationship with Undyne rather than her condition." He crumples the tissue and keeps it trapped in his fist. "I know the doctors here are capable enough to deal with something like this, so that's not my biggest concern. The argument they had's what's troubling me." He looks next to you and leans forward to throw the napkin into the bin, still avoiding eye contact even with how close he is. "They have differing views on what happened at chemistry class, and now they barely talk with each other since it happened."

A sudden sob escapes him and he cries into his hands, a dramatic yet genuine reaction on his part. "And not only that, but the two guards who were left to escort the students are now giving each other the silent treatment for some reason." His frown deepens and he faces you with teary eyes. "And now I learned you and Sans are still not official, so what I'm saying here is…" He sniffs and sighs again, looking defeated. "All my _ships_ are sinking, and I don't know what to do anymore!" His fists clench and his frown changes for a scowl. "I worked so hard just to have Alphys make the first move with Undyne, and I worked just as much for RG 1 and RG 2 to take things official and introduce each other to their parents. But… But now my efforts are going to waste!" 

Though the reasons behind his sadness are far more different than what you were expecting, his disappointment still appears genuine, so you place a hand over his shoulder and do the typical _'there, there'_ whisper and pat. "I-"

"And I didn't even try to hook you and Sans up because you two already looked like you were getting along, but now I learned I was wrong!"

He reaches out for a hug and cries into your shoulder. While he does, you hope his tears are only stained by mascara and that it's not motor oil stains you have to deal with later on. "It's… It's okay," you murmur, placing a hand against the back of his head, patting him again. "It's normal for couples to have arguments sometimes. Just as long as they're both willing to communicate, and as long as they look for a way to solve their situations together, they'll both be fine. And... And I'm sure those two guards you mentioned are still just a little bit shocked by what happened at the school."

You hug him tighter and keep your hand on his scalp until his breathing calms down. "So if… If you could believe me when I say they'll be fine, could you tell me what's really going on? I don't believe that look on your face from earlier only has to do with your ships." 

Mettaton pulls away and smiles. A shaky laugh leaves his mouth and he replies with, "That's really it, darling. I… I want others to be happy, and if I can help with that, then it's much better still." Finally, he picks up his posture and some of his usual self finally reflects itself on it. His smile grows, albeit it's still weighed down by leftover sadness. "Alphys made me a body I could be more comfortable in, and without expecting any payment back from me aside from the friendship we already had. Undyne shows she cares deeply about her, so- so of _course_ I need to help with that! And RG 1 and 2. They… They looked so happy when Frisk helped them realize their feelings for each other, I just _had_ to do something myself to help them further."

You wait for him to rest from everything he's said all at once. Based on how tense his posture still is and how he looks at you, there's a lot left for him to say. He closes his eyes and breathes in and out. His hands clench his knees and a frown appears just before it changes back to a faint smile. "And then you, (Y/N)," he says, meeting your eyes. "As far as I can tell, you've worked diligently for both Frisk and us monsters. Toriel's school wouldn't have been achieved without your approval, as you are one of our main pillars for our support. That's why when I found out you were interested in Sans, I wanted to do something about it, too." He props a leg and rests both hands over it, posture relaxing some more when he lets out another breath. "I'll be honest with you and say Sans is a bit… _peculiar_ , but if Asgore trusted him enough to name him the judge for, well, our Judgment Hall, then I believe he could be a suitable partner for you in the long run. I didn't do anything because of how you guys seemed to be getting along pretty well, but now I'm actually wishing I had." He grins and lets out a laugh, covered up by a hand over his mouth. "...I might try in the future, though." He winks.

His expression takes up a sudden turn from amused to stern as those last words leave his mouth. He grimaces and tauts up his posture again, returning to his earlier self. "I… I mistreated plenty of my employees when I ran a hotel at the Underground, those who disliked the TV shows I was broadcasted in, and even some of my fans, too. I was out of control for a long time, but now it's different. And even though I know my actions are most likely irredeemable, I want to at least try to do some sort of good for the rest of my time here on Earth."

The room around you takes up a blinding red colour and an alarm begins to blare from nearby. A few medics start to rush and gather up at a door two rooms away from Alphys's and some more run around asking if they're related to the one under an emergency. Just as you feel yourself grow cold at the mention of the person's name, another alarm blares and a few more medics run off to the room three more doors away from the one under emergency. The name's also a familiar one, and when a third alarm goes off, you act on instinct and hold the person nearest to you for some support.

It's a cacophony as those three alarms continue to ring and mix up with people's voices. You have to blink a few times to see past the red, and you hold Metatton close when you hear the first one under emergency doesn't have a healthy family member present to witness what's happening.

"...Should I go?" you ask, voice low as you expect no reply.

Contraire to your beliefs, the robot nods, helps you out of your seat, and his face takes up a small, bittersweet smile.

"We can go together," he replies.

* * *

**♪ ♪ ♪**

**Double update this week as I took 3 off days due to my health (Fri, Sat, and Sun), so here's last week's missed update!**


	31. 24 - The Color Orange

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/8Ka1QZQ4zf0)

**(Warning: Today's music selection is cursed, but ironically enough, the original song lyrics[[English translation available here]](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Alejandro-Sanz/Coraz%25C3%25B3n-Partido/translation/english/amp) [or on the image above] accurately describe what the end relationship will be between the reader and Sans.)**

* * *

Sans can listen in on the argument when the alarms cease. And if he's not mistaken, that's (Y/N)'s voice mixed in with the nurse in charge of him. 

"Why aren't friends allowed to visit him?" she asks, sounding about as annoyed as she often did back when he still flirted around with her. "It was an emergency. He… He could've _died_ waiting for a relative to get here!"

He hears Mettaton's voice intervene, followed by the nurse speaking up, a more gentler tone now present in his voice. "I apologize for the inconvenience, ma'am, but you never did tell me that you were his..."

"His _what?"_

"Fianceé."

There's a long, almost worrying period of silence, one where the skeleton wishes he was healthy enough to get up and see what was happening behind the closed curtains. The nurse tells her of the ring on her finger; the same one he'd confused at one point as her still being married, dating all the way back to the day he gave her a tour of the Underground. "That's…" He can hear her hesitate, though she continues with, "That was meant to be a secret, but yes. We're, um, we're dating."

"Alright," the nurse says. "I'll ask him to confirm this, and if he does, then you may pass through." He sighs. "I apologize for being so strict, but after these past three false emergencies, it's likely we're under watch and being sabotaged, so it's not favorable for anyone to have just any friend of the patient pass through." Sans hears the click of a pen before the man continues with, "How long have you been engaged?"

"...Two months?" the woman replies, sounding lost.

"His and your last name?"

"...Serif and… And (L/N)?"

"Any chil-"

"Why are we doing this?"

"Just answer my questions, ma'am."

He hears her let out a subtle huff as the man clicks his pen again. "Any children?"

"Frisk?" He has to hold back a laugh at how progressively confused her answers get. "N- Not biologically, though."

"So he's the stepfather?" 

"Oh my God, I swear I-"

"Please answer the question, ma'am. Once more, I... sincerely apologize for intruding so much, but this will be over before you know it."

She sighs. "...Yes?"

"His brother's name?"

"Papyrus. Are we done now?"

"Only one question left."

"Thank goodness."

Sans doesn't hold back his laughter this time and lets it out through a soft, pained chuckle. He's curious to know what kind of expression she's making right now, yet he can only imagine it as he waits for the curtains to be drawn back. The pen clicks again and some furious scribbling can be heard, seemingly coming from the nurse's notepad, judging by his shadow's movements and posture.

"Since his brother is also under minor recovery, do you approve of mister Serif going under surgery, if the time comes to it? Although the alarm was false, his state is still rather… weak, and a cure has yet to show up, so we still require some sort of permission from a healthy relative in order to proceed with the surgery."

"I approve. Is there anything I have to sign for that?"

"Yes. I'll bring you the documents right away, ma'am."

The curtains open and shed light into the monster's room. The nurse hands him the notepad with a bored expression on his face, though Sans tries not to think much of it and thanks the man for his work. "The lady waiting outside says she's your, uh…" He stops and looks away, tense posture, twitchy nose, and spiked ears revealing his discomfort. "...Your girlfriend."

"What does she look like?" Sans asks, narrowing his gaze at the bunny man.

The nurse proceeds to give him a brief description of the woman's eyes, skin tone, and height. Sans wants to know how much he paid attention to actually wanting to keep patients safe rather than simply preventing (Y/N) from seeing him just for being human. The man's face, although firm and stern, falters with his eye contact when trying to say anything else about her besides that.

"So you questioned her, but you still didn't bother to remember much about what she looks like?" he asks, facing the man. "And what's wrong with the word girlfriend? You looked like you were gonna throw up for a minute there, pal."

"I've got no reason to gawk at a woman for that long, and I've got no problem with the word girlfriend. You two dating is what's… _odd."_

"In what way?"

"She's _human!_ Are you ignorant, or did you forget how much stronger humans can be compared to us?" His anger explodes and he glares at Sans, though the skeleton in question remains unfazed. "She was one of those injured, but she's walking around like it's nothing! You're risking yourself too much, sir."

Sans sits up straighter on his hospital bed and hisses when pain pierces his soul. Still, he keeps himself seated, eager to face the bunny monster directly. "Maybe it's a risk; maybe it isn't. But the way I see it, life's always gonna be like that. One day you're alive and fine, the other you could be goin' through Hell on Earth. I've had good experiences with her by my side, so I'm willing to take a few risks if it means I can have more of those moments in the future." He then gestures at himself and grins. "I mean, c'mon. Look at me, pal. I was teachin' chemistry at eight in the mornin', but then aluva sudden, I got two doses of whatever the hell those guys brewed up injected right into my system. And now I'm here, but then I've also got people looking after me, so all-in-all, it ain't all that bad."

His gaze moves on to the curtains, now drawn back again to leave only (Y/N)'s silhouette cast through shadows. "So if you could take it a lil' bit easier on her, that'd be nice. And to be frank, I'm really missin' her right now, so seein' her's a bit of a biased wish I've got."

Right as he begins wondering over why the nurse blushes a bright red in response to his sudden burst of a speech, he says, "So, do you... Do you think I could have a chance with a human, then?" He casts a sudden, sheepish look down at the floor, purses his mouth, and rubs the back of his neck as he continues with, "She's... She's the main doctor of this hospital, so that alone already makes it harder for me to have a chance with her, but… Would it be right to drag each other into something like this?"

"Don't go crossing that bridge yet," Sans replies. "You haven't even gotten there to be worryin' about that yet. And even though I know that doesn't really mean it's bad to plan things out beforehand, that's still somethin' only the two of you can answer, if she returns your feelings and agrees to date you. Otherwise, you're just going in circles on your own for nothin'." 

The nurse's lip quivers and he grabs some documents tight, almost leaving wrinkles behind on them. He looks towards Sans and later to the curtains. "...Thank you," he says. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll have miss (L/N) sign these papers and then tell her she can see you."

Sans nods and closes his eye sockets when the nurse is gone. He can't help feeling weak now that he's alone and allows himself a brief moment of vulnerability. It's been days since he last saw the sun and longer still since he's been able to move around properly, but knowing (Y/N) was already healing made him more relieved over it all. Almost a year back, he would've most likely felt just like the bunny monster did, yet today, he felt like he needed her company more than ever, and seeing her healthier would be a big plus, too. 

"Hey," he hears her say, followed by the feeling of someone sitting next to him. 

The monster opens his gaze and looks left to see her sitting on a chair, her bag settled over her lap and signed papers held up in her hand. "Have you seen the nurse?" she asks. "He gave me these documents to sign and said he had to go do something... But he hasn't come back yet."

He furrows his gaze at that and takes a peek at what the documents are. "I haven't seen him again since he went to give you that, but…" Curiosity gets the best of him and he tries hard not to continue staring at the documents for too long. "You're really signing those for me?" He grins and meets her eyes. "...Thought you were just playin' along to visit me."

The human smiles and shifts in her seat, an apparent mistake on her part as she flinches in response to the movement. His gaze falls on the hand she soothes around her waist and she hides the fact there's a bit of blood staining her clothes. "I plan to stay with you if it comes to it," she says, dismissing her own situation to continue with his. "I… I know Papyrus is recovering, too, and I don't think I've ever heard you mention any other relative besides him, so… I'm here for y-"

_Slap._

He's managed to test the state of his relationship with her when he tries to point out the fact she's bleeding, though it all results in her swatting his hand away when he leans in and tries to reach out for hers. "Don't," she mutters, sighing. "Don't touch me, please. I-"

"You're bleeding again."

"What?"

The woman looks down to meet with the stain near her stomach again. Her hand reaches out for it and she yanks it back abruptly with a hiss. "I'm sorry," she says, facing him again. "I… I just thought you were trying to kiss me again."

"That's not important right now," he counters, frowning at the sight. "Why're you bleeding again?"

She looks down at the wound once more and replies with, "Must've opened up again."

"What?"

"It can happen if I move around too much."

"So why're you not in a hospital? That's dangerous, (Y/N)."

"I had a cesarean done to give birth," she remarks, grinning at him. "I'm pretty sure I can handle it."

He grins back and shifts a little in bed. "And I'm pretty sure you _aren't._ What explanation do you have for it to be openin' up like that again? Have you gone to an actual doctor or somethin' for stitches?"

Only silence answers him and he delivers his own response with a chuckle. "So ya haven't?"

"I did get them, but…"

His amusement begins to fade when he sees her reason for keeping quiet is much more serious than he originally believed it to be. He waits to hear her continuation, yet she doesn't say anything else after that. "But what, (Y/N)?" he asks. "What happened?"

When more silence welcomes him, he sits up in bed and ignores the pace of his soul monitor when another sharp pain develops on his chest. He reminds himself of how she reacted to her touch and refrains from doing that again to gain her attention. "Are you okay?" he asks again, a bit softer this time.

"I'm…" She looks away from him and clutches her purse, nails digging into it. "I don't want to worry you."

"You're worryin' me more by keeping this a mystery."

He waits and watches as her lips turn to a straight line, these a result of her trying to fight back the tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm…" She breathes in and lets it out with a shudder; her gaze continues to meet the floor and she refuses to let go of her grip on the bag. "I think I'm being stalked."

The monster doesn't interrupt, knowing there's more left to be said.

"Just yesterday night, I was… going to throw the trash away, and… And I heard someone breathing heavily from nearby. But when I turned around, there wasn't anyone there, and the only thing I could see was something rustling in the bushes and then stop." She hiccups and her bag falls from her hold, scattering its items all across the floor. "I turned around, and just when I thought that it was just my mind playing mean tricks on me, the rustling returned and then footsteps came running after me." Her body begins to shake and a few tears start to fall, these she doesn't bother to wipe as she instead holds the fabric of her (jeans/skirt) in replacement for the lack of her bag for her to release some tension through. "The breathing got louder, and I… I just kept running back home, until the person caught my arm and then held a hand against my mouth, a- and-"

Feeling it's about time for him to try break some boundaries, he leans in and holds her close, letting her grab onto his back as she continues after a deep breath, saying, "I… I was lucky Frisk got there on time. They threw a rock at the person and yelled at them, so then I took that opportunity to break free. And I was going to hold the person back, but by the time I recovered from what happened, they... They ran away."

When another sting pierces his ribcage, he hugs her a little too strong and a little too close, resulting in her being frightened, but for a reason entirely different from what she was telling him about. "Wh- What's wrong?" she asks, keeping her hold on him. He can feel her move under his arms and lift her face away from his shoulder. "The monitor," she adds, startled, "It's-"

He blacks out.


	32. 25 - Live and Let Die

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/4yfHEfSKB7k)

**Ah yes, "Live and Let Die" and "Death Report" are today's chapter title and song selections. Get it? ~~...I'm sorry.~~**

* * *

You sound the alarm and hope it's not a boy crying wolf situation as you wait for someone to arrive and help out. His body turns heavy on you and it's a challenge to keep him in your hold with the injury spread across your stomach. Still, you try to maintain your grip on him and sit down on the bed for more support. With newly reopened wounds, you don't have the strength to move anymore, though you attempt to assess the situation nonetheless.

He isn't breathing, but strangely enough, the soul monitor keeps up a stable pace; faint and slow, but still there. His body also seems to be turning to dust, though based on what little information you'd obtained regarding monsters, he was supposed to be nothing but a pile of dust in less than a few minutes; sometimes seconds, depending on the situation. You figure it's been longer than that now and hold onto the hope he's still alive, regardless of him not breathing and the knowledge that he's already stiff and bone-chillingly cold to the touch.

"Can you hear me?" you ask, shifting your positions so that you're able to grab his face. "Please, just… Just let me know somehow if you're still alive." You bump your forehead against his and ignore the eerie feeling of having his body fade right under your touch. It's been too long of a wait, and you fear your earlier worry's more than true now. 

"Someone, help!" you shout, growing impatient. His body continues to deteriorate under you, and while you're more than urged to try standing up, it's in vain, as that only results in you making your wound worse and leaving it to bleed more. "Help!" you cry out, more desperate now. "I can't move…" Those last words are quiet, trembled, and muttered as you cup his cheekbone and kiss him there, tasting your own tears. "Are you still alive? Wh- Why does the monitor keep going, e- even though you're not breathing? Wh- Why are you-"

At the sound of the soul monitor letting out a series of more patterned, congruent beeps, your eyes grow and you blink through the tears. You hope to see his irises, only to be met by him continuing to turn to dust. "Is… Is the monitor bugged? Is… Is _that_ it?" You continue to blink away tears and hold his face against your palm again, lips quivering when you stare for too long at his lifeless state. "You're... really dead, aren't you?"

More beeps come from the monitor as a response. Anger seeps through you and you wish you were strong enough to get up and disconnect it. "S- Stop making fun of me," you say, words directed at the device. "I know he's de… _dead._ You… You don't have to rub it in!"

As if having a conversation with you, the monitor makes a pattern of noises similar to that of someone laughing out loud. For a moment, your anger stops and you find yourself looking down to see a subtle grin on the monster's face despite him still having his eye sockets closed.

"Am I going crazy, or are you… Are you laughing at me?"

It's like you're having a full-on convo with the device, though it's a bit difficult to follow along when some messages are delivered through code. 

"Did I die with you, or is this a weird fever dream?"

More laughter follows, accompanied by what you can almost swear is him trying to respond to your question.

You stroke your fingers across his face and finally gain a better view of him now that you've stopped crying. His subtle grin remains, though based on how far more rigid he's become, it's evident his body's no longer alive. Still, you're having a conversation with what you hope is his soul, so that has to count for something…

_...Right?_

"Could you answer me with one beep yes, two beeps no?"

One beep.

"Okay," you mutter, sighing. "Is your soul still, well… alive? I'm not imagining this, right?"

One beep.

It's a surreal experience, yet you push through it to ask more questions.

"Alright," you say, breathing in deep. "Were you laughing at me just a minute ago?"

Two beeps.

"At my situation, then?"

Two beeps.

"...At how panicked I was?"

There's a bit of delay this time before you hear two beeps. You give up on wondering why it sounded like he was laughing and choose not to bring up the slight smile that'd shown on his face right before his body died. 

"Can I still save you?"

A delay again, followed by one beep.

"The next one after this isn't really a yes or no question, but… C- Could you try to give me an answer on how I could do that?"

One beep.

You wait to see what happens and lose hope over ever having help come around. It's been too long since you ran the alarm, and you figure the hospital's either ignored it and passed it off as more sabotage, or that they're too caught up with how many patients they've left to tend to. There's a series of long and short beeps you try to memorize in hopes of translating them all later from morse code, though just as you're halfway there in memorizing all four series of beeps, the doors open and past them enter several people.

"Alph -- It's… It's Alphys!" Mettaton shouts, startling everyone around him. "Someone bring Alphys," he adds. "Quick. Before his body fades!"

"S- Sir, I don't think she's-"

"Bring her! We've got a patient on the line here."

"She- She's not in a stable condition, either, so it wouldn't be good to-"

Undyne storms out of the room and ignores the nurse she passes by. "I'll be back in a minute," she shouts, stopping only to take a quick look behind her to smile at you. "Don't let that punk go anywhere, (Y/N). Keep him distracted!" 

Adhering to her words, you smile back and carry it forth to the monitor. You have an idea resisting in mind, though it's about as ridiculous as having fallen for a monster -- so different from humans, in both appearance and customs -- in the first place. "Hey," you call out, facing him. "Are you... still here?"

One beep.

The question alone and the response you get makes this feel as if you're trying to communicate with a spirit through a Ouija Board.

"Y'know…" Your smile shifts for a grin and you have to shut down the more rational part of your brain to avoid having a crisis over what's real life, your purpose, and just why you were doing this in the first place. "Not gonna lie, but I, um… I think you're nice. I've... been thinking about those two months since we last kissed, and I just wanted to say this properly." You close your eyes for a brief moment before looking back to the monitor. "I like you, too. I don't think I've said it straight like that before, so, um… Yeah." You pause, sigh, and try to think of a question to ask him. "...Did you hear all that, Sans?"

Some delay, then one beep.

You hear some loud, unabashed whispers between Frisk and Mettaton related to the vibes going on between you and an actual hospital monitor, though grit your teeth and set them aside, these you try to ignore and avoid getting annoyed by. 

The robot comes to help you out by taking the body away from you and reaches for your hand to pull you back to your feet. When he hears you hiss and sees the bleeding worsen, he stops, sweeps you off your feet, and looks at the monitor with a cocky smile.

"God, I wish that were me," he says, winking at the device. "Bet that's what you're thinking now, right?"

One beep follows without hesitation.

You hold back a bursted laugh and hold onto the robot's neck to stabilize yourself. 

It doesn't take long before the doors slam open for a second time and reveal Undyne pushing Alphys in her hospital bed, both who look pumped and ready for action. There's a long line of doctors and nurses following behind them, and the more people begin to show up, the more this looks like a big news scoop waiting to happen.

"Take his soul and brain out," Alphys instructs, sounding more confident than you'd ever heard her before. "But before that, undress him and take a picture; both from the front and back. I'm going to need a reference for his new body."

"Wh- What?" you sputter, loosening your hold on Mettaton when you notice you're squeezing too hard. A small pack of nurses rush off and assemble. Two of them take charge in undressing the monster while another one stays behind to snap the first picture. It's all going too fast, so you tuck your face against the robot's chest, frown, and shut your eyes tight to avoid seeing the rest. "What's happening?" you ask, words hushed as you direct them only at him. 

"She's going to make him a new body, silly," Mettaton replies, laughing under his breath. "Looks like those injections he got ended up both injuring and saving him, too." He begins to carry you out of the scene while you start to worry over how long he'd been holding you, and if you're now growing too heavy on him. "Monsters... We aren't supposed to stay alive for that long, so it... it just has to be that. The only reason we can't really salvage our loved ones' souls that often is because, unlike humans, their bodies fade away too quick, and their souls stop working just as fast, too." Thankfully, he carries you off to a different hospital bed and lays you there; Frisk and Toriel, on the other hand, inform a nurse over what's happened and to help you with your own injuries. "And while I know it still goes a similar way with humans, it's… possible for monsters to possess and adhere to other forms, but without a soul and a brain, we can't transport that life over to another body. The only exception are ghost monsters like me, since we can possess a new vessel without having to go through all that surgery process."

You pull away and look at him with lost eyes. "So you're a ghost with the body of a robot, and if it happens to work with Sans, then…" You forget he's being undressed and glance back fast back to Mettaton when you realize the nurses are already halfway there with the process. "He'd be… a once living, breathing skeleton with the body of a robot, or at least… with the body of something he could use as his vessel?"

"Yes," he replies, chuckling. "It's quite a mouthful, yes. But you're not wrong. Though it will probably take a while to build him a new body, the doctors can conserve his soul and brain until it's done. Just think of like… that TV series where a delivery boy lives to see the future after being preserved in a freezer for many years. But instead of a complete human body, here it's the two most important components of a monster; first the soul, and then the brain."

You stay quiet as you analyze everything he's said to you.

"...I have a few questions," you state, facing the robot. "Could I?"

"Go ahead, honey."

You breathe in and puff out your chest. It feels like too much, but you're also too confused to let these questions go so easily. "I…" You think it twice and sigh, mind seeking for a way to ask them all in the briefest way possible. "How... long do you think it'll take? Isn't it too much for just one person to work on this? Won't Alphys be overworked? A- And that being said... Could I help out in some way?"

" _That_ desperate to have him back, huh?" He winks.

"I'm just curious."

You hope there's still enough time for him to answer your doubts when you see the doctor meant to treat you's arrived. "Most likely between four months and a year. Like you asked, this can be a lot for one person, so Alphys will probably finish it all faster if more people are willing to help her out." He smiles, though there's sadness present in it. "And while I get that you'd like to help out, it's... a bit tricky to do unless you're really trained in that area. She'll have to recruit some _serious_ professionals if she wants to have his new body ready by the end of this year or the next."

"But," he adds, holding back the doctor from giving commencement to redoing your stitches. "He can still contact us through his soul, so he won't be completely gone during that time." He grins and spares a quick look at the monitor before saying, "...Maybe I could keep you company while he's back?"

Two beeps sound from the device, just as quick as when Metatton carried you away in his arms, and you almost instinctively break into a smile.

"See?" Mettaton winks again. "He's still here."

The conversation ends with that and with Frisk rushing off to your side to give you a kiss on the forehead, serving as a good luck charm before the restitching process. "Thank you, dear," you murmur, kissing their cheek. Then, you face at the robot again and smile. "...And thank you, too. Hope I wasn't too heavy on you."

"Not at all," he replies, returning your smile. "Should we take Frisk home to help pack some things up for you? You should stay here a few days to recover."

"If it's not much trouble, then…" You feel a numbness on your stomach, anesthesia already beginning to make its effects on your body. "Then, yes, please. That would be nice."

The last things you see as you close your eyes are of Frisk and Toriel standing by the doorway, Alphys and Undyne near Sans's hospital bed, Metatton helping move some furniture around to leave space for others to pass through, and lastly, of Sans's body now being covered up in a black sheet and pushed out of the room. The worry of such a sight's fought back when seeing his soul shielded away in a glass container and of a doctor and a nurse huddled close, right in front of a sterilized operation table, both most likely working with preserving the monster's brain. You let yourself rest and take in the medley of sounds around you, from the loud and hushed murmurs of the distant and nearby crowds to the beeps, slams, clinks, and clanks associated with the hospital and its employees being deep and busy into their work.

* * *

**Might hold updates for 1 to 2 weeks the week after this one or the next due to my health.[(More info here.)](https://i.quotev.com/zqcjirgoxakq.jpg)**

* * *

**5 Chapters Preview**

**26 - Backhanded**

_Spilt news lead to unwanted visitors._

**27 - The Choice**

_A moment of judgement arrives._

**28 - The Color Yellow**

_Kicking butt time._

**29 - Big and Chunky**

_Goodness, girl. You huge._

**30 - Transmission**

_Uwa!! So Title Reference._


	33. 26 - Backhanded (Part One)

[BGM](http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZdRLQIMrd-k)

**This chapter turned out to be _wayyy_ longer than the rest (5k+ words, basically double the usual word count), so part two'll be out by tomorrow!**

* * *

It's been more than twelve hours since the incident happened, and while it's now early in the morning, you've barely managed to get so much as a minute of sleep. There's too much in your mind for you to settle on just one thing, so you've set it upon yourself to take in every little aspect of your hospital room until you've grown tired of it. Others have texted you to keep in touch, yet now it's too late -- or rather, too early -- to continue talking with them. Some had offered to stay the night with you here, but you'd rejected their offers, saying they were already doing enough by looking after Frisk while you recovered.

The room feels cold despite how many sheets you're wrapped up in. What aids you in feeling less lonely is seeing the monster's soul quite literally floating in a glass container by a counter at a corner of the room, and glowing on and off under the darkness of your surroundings. His monitor's still connected to the power outlet, though you haven't tried to spark up another conversation since you got your stitches remade. Now though, you could use that distraction and glance at his direction before speaking up.

"Sans…" you whisper, hugging yourself. "Can you still hear me?"

You have the morse code alphabet loaded up on your phone, ready to translate his responses besides the usual 'one beep: yes; two beeps: no'. 

One beep.

Before you can ask another question, you see his soul fade away from your view, now nowhere near to be seen. The panic you already feel growing in your heart lessens when you see it reappear in the shape of a glow similar to the one his magic emanated off of him, only white instead blue. Said glow travels to a palm-sized plushie set by his hospital bed amongst all the other gifts people had left for him. The doll begins to move and tries to lift itself up, though it stumbles a few times before sitting itself upright. You giggle at that sight and wish you could stand to pick it up. 

"Is that you?" you ask, smiling at the doll. 

One beep.

"Can you try to walk here, or do you want me to pick you up?"

Short, long, long. (• — —)

Short, long. (• —)

One short, one long, two short. (• — • •)

Long, short, long. (— • —)

Just as you're translating those four patterns, you understand the meaning of them when you see the doll approach your bed. He tries to climb up, so you make it a bit easier by stretching an arm out for him. "Try to jump," you say, grinning. "I'll catch you."

He follows your suggestion without hesitation and falls right into your palm. When he does, you're able to see the doll's design with a bit more detail and realize it's rather grim -- pun unintended -- considering the situation he and everyone else's currently in. "...So, you're the grim reaper now," you comment, letting out a quiet laugh. "That's... oddly cute, really. Do you know who brought it in?"

Two long. (— —)

One short. (•)

One long beep. (—)

"Met. So... Mettaton?" you ask, cupping him in your palm. "I guess it _does_ match his sense of humour… And at least it gives you a vessel for us to communicate a little better!" You bring him closer and observe him for a while. When he looks back to you, it almost feels as if you're making eye contact for real, rather than this simply being a doll with large, black button eyes and a small, cotton-based body meant to give him temporary mobility with what little functionality it provides him with. You bring him closer and kiss his teeth -- or rather, the doll's -- and smile when he responds to that by pressing a hand against your cheek during the moment. "So, I've decided…" You bite back tears when his tiny skeleton hands grab both of your cheeks, the one holding the scythe being careful not to poke you in the eye with it. "If you still have, well, feelings for me... I- I want to date you, too. I want to overcome these fears, and... And try to liven up some more. A- And I want to kiss you for real as soon as you've got your new body."

Long, short, short. (— • •)

Long, long, long. (— — —)

Long, short. (— •)

Long. (—)

While you're done translating the four letter word, he adds more after it.

Short, short. (• •)

Short, long, long. (• — —)

Short, long. (• —)

Short, short. (• •)

Long. (—)

"Don't," you say, translating his first word. "I wait?" you add, completing the next two. "So you can wait, then?"

One beep.

"But what if I'm finally ready now? Could we become a couple, then?"

One beep, then two beeps.

"Yes and no? ...So, _maybe?_ Does that mean you…" You stare down at the plushie and frown in thought as you consider the words translated. "Does that mean you don't want me to rush into it?"

One beep.

You sigh and break into a smile. A little more than two months had passed now since you told him you needed more time, yet the monster was still here, waiting still without pushing it. He took it serious when you told him to stop flirting with you, too.

"...Want another kiss, though? I'm up for it if you are."

He grabs your face again and nods.

It's strange, though it feels nice to have some form of communication with him. It feels better when you sense his warmth exuding off of the doll, cozying you up against the sharp and unrelenting coldness of the room. "Do you want to stay next to me for the night?"

Another nod.

You manage a smile, lay down, and set him down right next to you in bed, arms wrapping around him as you press him closer to you. "I don't move much in my sleep, but feel free to use my phone alarm to wake me up if I'm squishing you." You give it to him and close your eyes when you see him take it; how small he is almost makes your phone cover up his entire body.

"Wait," you say, opening your eyes again. "I'm not sure if you can actually press it with that body, though?" you add, that sudden thought preventing you from falling asleep. You shift back to a half sitting position and help him test that theory out. He has it difficult holding up the phone without being counterbalanced by it, though he manages to unlock it with what you can only assume's the essence of his soul. "You good, then?"

He nods.

"Alright."

Again, you fall back against the pillow and close your eyes, allowing drowsiness to approach you. It takes a little longer to find that comfort spot once more, though you feel better having brushed that worry away from your mind. "Goodnight... lil' Grim Reaper," you whisper with a smile, finally able to sleep.

Long, long, short. (— — •)

Long, short. (– •)

* * *

A large crowd gathers up in front of your hospital room at an unholy six in the morning, barely allowing you four hours of sleep nor to answer one question without being bombarded by two or three more.

_"So reincarnation's likely possible?"_

_"What's this about conserving a soul? Is it true?"_

_"Would the patient still be the same even after surgery?"_

_"Why was the co-director of Toriel's school with him? And why couldn't she do more to help him out?"_

_"Are you related to his passing?"_

_"Did she hurt him?"_

_"Why couldn't-"_

"Oh my _God._ Shut up, you punks!"

Undyne's patience snaps, creating a distinctive roar in her voice, one that makes people do as told faster than a tired teacher would with a busy classroom. She escorts some of them away with the help of a few guards and a janitor standing nearby, all five who take up the task of leaving only the most prudent people hanging around. Nosy news networks are sent off back to their homes as well as common folk looking for some gossip. When it's over, she casts an accusatory glare at Mettaton and sends him backtracking until he finds cover by standing next to you.

"I know this is serious, so of _course_ I haven't told anyone yet!" he says, pouting. "Just who do you take me for? I'm a changed man, Undyne."

"And who else could it have been?" she asks, glare stagnant. "You're the only one capable I can think of who was with us at that time."

"I'd help you if I could, honey. But I really don't have a clue."

You comfort him by placing a hand over his shoulder and patting it. The robot had quite literally swept you off your feet and helped you overcome a difficult process barely twenty-four hours ago, so you can't imagine him having any other intentions beyond helping you out. As a result, you try to think back on yesterday and how many people were in the room, though it's all blurry after you were sent under surgery. You're still groggy and the aftereffects remain in how heavy your eyelids and the rest of your body feel. "I trust him," you speak up, letting his shoulder go. "There were lots of nurses and doctors here, and lots of people were going in and out, too. It could've been anyone, Undyne."

Undyne hums and crosses her arms, remaining pensive for awhile until she replies with, "If you trust him, then I will, too. But that still doesn't mean I won't keep an eye on him!" She lets her tension go and sits down on the chair holding your hospital room's door open. The rest of the guards and the janitor have left, leaving her to take care of the few chosen people waiting in line for their turn. "Now back to this mess," she adds, turning back around to meet with those waiting before her. "What do you guys want? You can communicate with the patient without entering, so go ahead. One at time."

Following her orders, the first person in line takes a small step forward, makes eye contact with you, and introduces herself as an up-and-coming, fundraising corporation looking to help out with cases like yours. The second one's a new and small newspaper company looking to promote Alphys's past works while simultaneously helping explain to the public what happened with her and her experiments before she gave up her position as a Royal Scientist. The third's another fundraiser, much smaller than the first, but more believable in certain aspects. The fourth's a newbie journalist offering out a deal to provide you with a group of willing and knowledgeable helpers for Alphys's future, heavy workload in exchange for a nationally newsworthy scoop. Finally, the fifth one's a business woman offering to spread the word in exchange for your own assistance in helping her company grow. Some offers are a bit more shady than others, yet you can't help feeling guilty and obnoxiously picky when you tell them you need some time to think about it. 

"I appreciate all your help, but we-"

Thankfully, and almost an answer to your prayers, more support shows up besides the two other healthy monsters present in the room. Toriel arrives and excuses herself to enter the room. She approaches your side and asks what's going on.

"They're… offering help with our situation," you mutter when she's close by, not wanting for others to catch onto the nervous note in your voice. "Some of them sound… _tempting._ But don't you think we need to think this through? W- What if we end up getting into more trouble?"

Toriel smiles, sits down on the edge of the bed, and takes you in for a hug. She doesn't say anything and holds you close, letting your ear rest against her chest and allowing you to listen in to the steady thumps of her soul. It's a comforting sound, one you close your eyes to as you seek for some calm. "I can tell you are nervous," she says, words whispered. "I know you are still trying to play along with being engaged and responsible for this, but do not force yourself, dear. You are not alone, and we are here to help out."

It's a K.O. move when she kisses your forehead. The action alone makes your eyes watery, yet the warmth it leaves behind releases them without mercy.

"Thank you," you whisper, hugging her tight.

* * *

When a twentieth person comes barging into your room throwing out bargains and offers to know the secret behind Sans still being alive and conserved away in the form of two separate organs, Undyne stays by the door again to guard it while Toriel remains inside the room to have a talk with you, most likely for what you assume's to protect you from the new dangers the leak of information's providing you with. It's currently two thirty in the afternoon, and you've been receiving unwanted visits since the hour you woke up. These have varied from news reporters hoping to get some intel over what happened yesterday, while others have been far more shameless and haven't hesitated to be themselves: random strangers seeking to benefit off the discovery through means of shady deals and propositions.

"I placed the school on holiday for the rest of this month while we all recover," Toriel says. "Lots of parents have already forfeited the enrollment, but… given recent news about other schools receiving similar threats, I do believe it's necessary to keep it open for those who still need the alternative." She takes out a bowl from the large beach bag settled on her lap, letting a tantalizingly familiar scent waft through the room; it's the same scent of the vegetable stew you had the first day you visited her home. "Do you intend to continue working with us, dear?" she asks, handing you the bowl along with a spoon and a napkin. "And please be honest with me, as I understand if you do not wish to anymore. Your safety is my greatest concern, as so is Frisk's."

You realize just how hungry you are when you take your first spoonful of the stew; its taste almost forms tears in your eyes from how good it is, warming up your cheeks and taste buds. Hunger and its heavenly taste make this feel as if you're eating at the most prestigious five-star restaurant there is, all while still maintaining its signature homemade qualities. "I'll continue working at your school," you say, looking up from the bowl to smile at her. "Those people already did the damage, so now I'm, well... _spiteful._ I'll find a way to get stronger and be more prepared to kick butt next time anyone tries something like that again." Another spoonful makes your heart warm and a fridge-cold bottle of water she hands out to you feels like the most godly drink you've had since you were born. "I-"

"I'm only here to talk, miss. I can assure you I mean no harm."

"Who let you in here? We suspended visits half an hour ago."

"I'm a licensed journalist. You're free to question me all you want if you need the evidence for it."

There's a bit of grumbling from Undyne's part and a bit more dialogue between them until she finally relents, letting the person pass through with a warning.

"You can talk. But don't you _dare_ get near her unless you want my fist on your face," Undyne shouts, now laying on her rear next to the door of the room. She looks similar to how your coworkers from your earlier office job did after dealing with a crappy customer, close to giving up from dealing with their ways of running in circles over one single subject, barely giving space for the other party to speak. Though she sits on the floor and allows some space for the stranger to pass by, she still looks ready to attack and keeps her eye locked on him the whole while. "One bad move, and you'll be out of this room faster than you can say 'wait'."

Her confrontation with the man ends as soon as he steps in. He tries to close the door, yet doesn't when both Undyne and Toriel glower at him. 

"Good afternoon, miss (L/N)," he says, meeting your eyes before anyone else's.

* * *

_I'm back (again)!!_

_I don't trust my immune system anymore, so just know that my future disappearances will probably continue to be health-related, lol._

_Also: Happy Halloween! (This chapter was posted yesterday on Quotev, but I hit the bed and passed out as soon as I posted on there, lol.)_

_I've finally made that[separate book](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27337048/chapters/66792778) I mentioned for extras, and it's already up with a Halloween Special taking place a few chapters after the current story arc (#3)! _

_Feel_ _free to check it out, if interested. I made 2 specials for the occasion, so the second one will be out by tomorrow. :-)_


	34. 26 - Backhanded (Part Two)

**Mild Trigger Warning(s):** anxiety-related issues and unintentional self-harm

* * *

Thankfully, you've managed to finish up the stew by now and drink the rest of the water before it's your time to speak up.

The man offers his hand out to you with a flourish similar to Mettaton's, though he's much more subtle in his movements. There's a look in his eye you're not quite comfortable with, made worse when you see him grin and look at you with it still pasted on his face. When you hear him let out a soft yet shaky exhale, you're thrown back harshly to the night from two days ago, though you pass that off as leftover paranoia from the event. "I heard the news, and may I say, I feel terribly sorry for your loss." He keeps his hand extended out to you, yet you resist on taking it. Toriel helps with that by placing her hands over your shoulders, creating a subtle barrier between you and the man.

"Nobody's dead, sir," Undyne barks, sounding more annoyed with each passing second. "Get on with it. The patient needs to rest."

He ignores the fish woman's comment and instead takes out a few business cards out of his pocket, offering one out to you. Toriel holds you tight and continues to give a wary eye at the man. Meanwhile, you try to take a look at the card, though the man's voice distracts your attention away from it.

"Though I've tried to maintain my discretion, I believe it's finally time for us to get to know each other, miss. And what better time than when you've only recently switched jobs, and ended up in a hospital because of it barely half a year after?" Again, you try to look at the card, yet he drags your attention back to him. "I believe to be a diligent and well-off man who can afford all the expenses you may require for your… _friend's_ hopeful recovery," he says, sparing a glance at the skeleton's soul, now protected by a thicker container for additional security measures. "But I've only one condition," he adds, looking back to you.

Two beeps.

Toriel sighs and sends a look of discontentment at the man. She tries to keep her composure by flattening out her skirt and clenching its fabric, though it's clear she's got less than a smidge of patience left in her. "...Please let him speak, Sans," she says, words strained. 

Two beeps.

Both Sans and her are ignored as the man continues to approach your side. He's close enough for you to hear his breathing more clearer now, yet you continue to reassure yourself over it not being possible to know how someone breathes, and that you're simply being influenced by the aftermaths of the event from two nights ago. When he takes his next step forward, you stay on guard and Toriel does the same. She lets go of your shoulders to stand up straight and prepares herself for the unknown. 

"And that is…" He takes your hand and kisses it, grinning against it. "...having you as my date for one night."

Two beeps.

"You will have the opportunity of going out with someone as successful as me, all while simultaneously helping fasten your friend's recovery."

Two beeps, louder this time.

"You are too lovely of a lady to be wasting your time away like this, so I can make it easier for you by taking you on a date and hurrying up a tiresome process. "I'll shower you in affection until this man recovers, and even then, I can still offer you more, as I'm sure a skeleton, and let alone a husk of a robot, cannot possibly know how to love you properly, as would an average hu-"

_Wham._

Before Toriel grabs his arm and Undyne even reaches your side, you've sent the man to the floor with one punch, aiming at the nose again. 

"Screw the hell off," you shout, patience running thin. "Either you stop the attitude and give me proof that you're real about this, or you can kindly go and leave us alone. I'm- I'm not just a _damned_ object to be placed on bidding." You play along with the trope of being engaged to further strengthen your argument. "And did you forget I'm taken? Or did you have fun doing this despite knowing that?"

He stares up at your ring and grins, far more unnerving than before. "I know that ring isn't his," he comments, making your stomach churn. "That's the one your _child_ gave you. The one that so happened to throw a rock at me, and the one who you've raised into creating all this mess." His gaze falls on Sans's soul, though Undyne stands by it as quickly as he looks at it. "I'm sure you already know it yourself that this man you say you're engaged to isn't competent enough to be true to who he is, so why would he be competent enough to date you?" He laughs. "And propose _marriage_ to you, at that? He's about as committed with those he loves as a criminal's committed to respecting the law."

He wipes blood off his nose and stares at you again, biting back his grin as he continues with, "I'll forgive what you've done to me here, as I'm sure you're only stressed and confused, at the moment. The offer to save your friend's life is still up, but-"

"Fun time's over, punk."

Toriel switches positions with her and guards the soul while Undyne tries to take the man out of the room. Before she can even get any closer to him though, he scrambles back to his feet, pulls you by the wrist, and locks an arm around your neck while his free hand picks something out of his pocket. "Are you all _blind_ to how much you're letting go to waste by denying me?" he shouts, holding a syringe against you; it's long and sharp, needle threatening to inject whatever substance there's contained inside it. "Calm down and take a look at that business card. Will you, miss (Y/N)? It seems that you've already forgotten who you used to work for."

He gives you space to take a look at his business card, though he keeps the needle close enough to warn you over making any other tricks.

You worked an office job like any other; it was an average company fit for average people. If you remembered correctly, their company slogan was something along the lines of: _'finding breaches on what's misunderstood'._

Despite your best efforts being nothing compared to what other people could do, you were still well and damn proud of having graduated college all while balancing a part-time job and the responsibilities of looking after a newborn child. You strived as best you could and made almost impossible ends meet through hard work and determination. Finding a job with that same _oomph_ had been your goal after, and you'd be lying to yourself if you said you didn't want to be someone of influence; with the capability of making a bigger change in the world, a feeling you gained when raising Frisk to be as best as they could, working at that office job and doing as much as you could for the company, and -- finally -- through keeping a calm and level-headed sense of judgment when Frisk so happened to bring a whole new race with them to the Surface.

As you stare at the newest business card though, you feel your heart ache and a sour taste builds up in your mouth.

_'Crossing a line between what's normal and what's not',_ their new company slogan reads.

It doesn't take much for you to assume the worst's happened those two months since you left.

"You stopped working a comfortable office job to end up in this mess. And all for what? A group of monsters who've only made your life more difficult? Ones who've hurt your child? An insensitive skeleton who barely has enough wit to admit his mistakes? A school that got wrecked barely half a year into its opening?" He holds onto your chin next, forcing you to look at the soul Toriel tries to guard with her glare and outstretched arms. "You're a clever and slippery woman, so I know you're more than capable to make the right choice here. One where you end these one-sided ties from those who only need you for their own benefit here on the Surface." He grins at the soul and adds, "...Or did you forget the hurt this supposed partner of yours caused you, holding absolute _zero_ regards for boundaries even when you made it clear his flirting was unwelcomed, and that you didn't feel ready to be with him?"

He lets you go, but still keeps the needle close by. "Tell me. What have they given back to you? If you can find at least _one_ reason worth all this danger and trouble, then I'll let you go. And I'll accept our company lost one of its best employees to a bunch of monsters, and especially to one in particular who can't even be here now to protect you like he so should. I'll forget you ever worked at that office if you give me one. But if you don't…" He presses the needle right against your arm, deep enough for it to feel like a mosquito bite. "Then I will inject this on you for your own benefit. Because as I'm sure you know, (L/N)," he says, chuckling. "Monsters can't handle determination. You, on the other hand, can and _should."_

Undyne stays back and holds a frown on her face. Toriel faces down and refuses to look at the scene, while the soul monitor remains silent.

"You'll be feared -- _powerful_ beyond your imagination," he adds, meeting with your eyes. "So what's it going to be? Us, or them?"

It all falls down on you like a bucket of ice cold water. 

You'd never been beyond average.

Those first three years of struggling with raising a baby had been made easier with the help of your aunt.

Your professors and their acts of understanding and kindness were what kept you from dropping out of college.

You'd allowed Jerry to sway you here and there for all those years, only to have him back into your life without repercussions almost eight years later.

And now, you were bluffing, _faking_ to be engaged to a monster who you still had your few doubts on, but who you'd fallen for, nonetheless.

And those five years you spent sitting in meetings and in front of a computer screen for hours on end fueled what was now a company meant to keep you separate from monsters Frisk held dear.

You were _below_ average now.

Frisk was the one who helped the monsters, after all.

You'd simply provided your child with some shelter, sustenance, and guidance until they grew up.

Their choices were theirs, not your own.

The same went for you and why you ended up like this, in the first place.

"I... I can't do this anymore."

You sit back down in bed and clutch your stomach when it stings. Tears make way down your cheeks without any control and your shoulders slump along with the rest of you, mind and body both too weak to go on. When you let go of your stomach, your hands then grab at your thighs and your nails sink hard and deep into your skin, hospital gown barely shielding you from them. You can feel yourself shaking and grow short of breath, yet you can't do much to pick yourself up. 

You're tired.

"I just want Frisk to be happy, a- and I want to be a part of that, too. I'm tired of being angry. And I'm tired of guarding myself so much. I... I just want to be happy. But- But without feeling guilty about it." Your nails sink deeper, drawing out red marks and a subtle pain you choose to ignore. "I- I can't move on. Every action I take drowns me with guilt and anger. Like... Like I'm not allowed to be happy, n- no matter what I do. I've screwed up so much in so short, I... I don't think I've the chance to move on anymore." You hiccup and let your thighs go, flinching when you see just how much damage you've cast upon yourself. "I just want to-"

You grow faint and close your eyes tight, too dizzy to do, say, or think of anything else besides getting some rest.

"Please... Please, just- just leave me alone already. I don't think I can give you a proper answer anymore." You breathe in and manage to look him in the eye, glaring at him. "I don't know what changes happened there while I was gone, but I know the old boss of that company _wouldn't_ have allowed all this." You pause and try to recollect yourself, still wanting to cling onto what bit of strength you have left. "If you want me to pay any mind to what you're saying, then treat me properly. I'm tired of threats, and I'm tired of people like you."

Ready to finish the conversation and wilt in bed, you look away and out the window next to it. The sun shining brings forth a yearning for peace and quiet, an unrealistic goal considering the circumstances and life, in general. Still, you remain hopeful, and even more so when you feel something tug at your hospital gown, the one responsible being the same reaper plushie from before. The monster controlling it tries to hug you, though it mostly seems like he's clinging onto you with how small his vessel is.

With a series of beeps, he tells the man 'go' and strengthens his words by pushing him with what little magic he has left in him.

'Now', he adds after that, still holding onto you.


	35. HUGE SUPER IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT OMG!!!!

NOT CLICKBAIT!!

I FINALLY HAD THE COURAGE TO REWRITE TRANSMISSION, INTERMISSION.

AND I'M HELLA EXCITED.

...Now, going back to normal, here's the link to the new story (prologue is already up!) for those who don't want to hear my reasons behind that choice:

[Fairytale Complex - (Transmission, Intermission Rewrite!!)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27391306/chapters/66943171)

(But do read the small, bolded paragraph below though, as it explains when chapter 27 [the continuation of TraInt] would be up!)

**The first 3 to 5 chapters for the new version [now named Fairytale Complex] will contain brand new plot points, so chapter 1 on TraInt would be chapter 4 or 6 on there. After that, story updates will be quick, as the chapters you've already read on here will only receive quick and simpler edits that will make the plot and story arcs run smoother and improve the overall writing quality and fluidity, in general. Meaning that, to those who've already read until chapter 26, the story will most likely continue by mid January or early February 2021, with chapter 27 probably being chapter 30/33/35 based on the changes I'll be making! I apologize for the wait to those who were looking forward to chapter 27 this Saturday, but I felt like it had to be done.**

Now, onto the explanation, made a numbered list for quick and easy reading:

1\. When I first wrote most of the stories on this account, I was in a bad place (both physically and mentally). My physical health was only just beginning to deteriorate by then, and as a consequence, my mental health took a blow, spiking my self-consciousness and other stuff.

2\. During the process, I also finally assessed myself with professional help and later came out as the T from LGBT+ (on Wattpad and very subtly in my letter to all readers and writers, at least).

3\. Pile all that up, and it resulted in me feeling and living like this comic strip: [It's a Living](https://buttpoems.tumblr.com/post/623050590869716992).

4\. So yeah, basically: I felt like I wasn't good enough; like I was trying my hardest for mediocre results. I'm pretty proud and happy of how far this fanfic got, but there's a lotta things I want to improve, such as:

\- The plot fluidity, in general.

\- Making the relationship between the Reader and Sans a bit more realistic, all while still keeping the whole romcom aspect of the story intact.

\- Making it much more slow burning. Meaning, it'll take a lot more until any smoochy-smoochy stuff happens. >:-)

\- Highlighting the parent-child relationship between the Reader and Frisk. This story was primarily made as an inspiration taken from all the young parents I've met in college so far (in my country, we can go to college by the age of 17/18, so there were plenty who were either a bit older than that with a family they had to care for already, or giving up their role as an elder sibling and thus taking up the role of their missing parent[s]), who met near extreme ends meet just to continue with their own lives, all while still raising another.

\- Highlighting the complexities and dangers of being in a relationship while you're still mentally vulnerable. The Reader shouldn't really date Sans yet and _won't._ At least, not until the relationship's become more real, with more depth, and not like this quote: _“Men often go for lonely women. Maybe it's love, maybe not. I don't know. If loneliness brings you together, you'll be even lonelier when it ends.” – Kyle Hyde, from the game Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (good game, btw)_

\- Among other stuff that counts as plot spoilers.

\- Small thing though: I'm not sure whether to keep the reader female or make it gender neutral?? For now, I've kept it optional, but I'll probably decide that later or maybe make a poll/survey to decide in the future?? This is a trickier decision, so it'll probably take awhile until it's set in stone.

5\. So anyway, with all that being said: Thank you for reading until here, and if anyone so happens to still be interested in this story despite me choosing to rewrite it seemingly suddenly and out of nowhere (even though it's been on my mind for a while!), thank you for your patience. :-)

(Final thing: The new version of TraInt will be much more children's book/fable-esque, meaning that the rating will be toned down a little bit more. I'll be keeping the extras book for more serious/spicier/darker stuff, just like readers recommended I did with the very first poll/survey I made for this fanfic.)

**And as always, take care and stay safe, everyone!**


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